By:  Lucio, et al.                                    S.B. No. 1296
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the issuance of general obligation bonds to provide
 1-3     financial assistance to counties for roadway projects to serve
 1-4     border colonias.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subtitle G, Title 9, Government Code, is amended
 1-7     by adding Chapter 1403 to read as follows:
 1-8                   CHAPTER 1403.  GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS
 1-9                     FOR CERTAIN BORDER COLONIA PROJECTS
1-10           Sec. 1403.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
1-11                 (1)  "Authority" means the Texas Public Finance
1-12     Authority.
1-13                 (2)  "Commission" means the Texas Transportation
1-14     Commission.
1-15           Sec. 1403.002.  GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR BORDER COLONIA
1-16     ROADWAY PROJECTS.  (a)  As provided by Section 49-l, Article III,
1-17     Texas Constitution, the authority shall, in accordance with
1-18     requests from the office of the governor:
1-19                 (1)  issue general obligation bonds in an aggregate
1-20     amount not to exceed $175 million, as authorized by the office of
1-21     the governor under Subsection (b), and enter into related bond
1-22     enhancement agreements; and
1-23                 (2)  as directed by the Texas Department of
1-24     Transportation, distribute the proceeds from the sale of the bonds
1-25     to counties to provide financial assistance for colonia access
 2-1     roadway projects to serve border colonias.
 2-2           (b)  The office of the governor shall determine the amount of
 2-3     bonds to be issued at any one time by the authority under
 2-4     Subsection (a)(1) and the times at which the bonds are issued.
 2-5           (c)  The commission shall establish a program to administer
 2-6     the use of the proceeds of the bonds.  The Texas Department of
 2-7     Transportation shall administer the program in cooperation with the
 2-8     office of the governor, the secretary of state, and the Texas A&M
 2-9     University Center for Housing and Urban Development.
2-10           (d)  The commission, in cooperation with the office of the
2-11     governor, shall:
2-12                 (1)  define by rule "border colonia";
2-13                 (2)  establish by rule criteria for selecting which
2-14     areas and which colonia access roadway projects are eligible for
2-15     assistance under this chapter;
2-16                 (3)  determine the counties and the colonia access
2-17     roadway projects that are to receive financial assistance and the
2-18     amount of assistance given to a county or project;
2-19                 (4)  establish by rule minimum road standards a
2-20     county's colonia access roadway proposal must meet to be awarded a
2-21     grant;
2-22                 (5)  establish by rule grant application procedures;
2-23     and
2-24                 (6)  establish by rule financial reporting requirements
2-25     for counties that receive assistance for colonia access roadway
2-26     projects to serve border colonias.
 3-1           (e)  The issuance of general obligation bonds under this
 3-2     chapter shall comply with and is subject to Subtitle A, Chapter
 3-3     1231, and applicable provisions of Chapters 1232 and 1371.
 3-4           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect on the date on which the
 3-5     constitutional amendment proposed by the 77th Legislature, Regular
 3-6     Session, 2001, authorizing the issuance of state general obligation
 3-7     bonds to provide financial assistance to counties for roadway
 3-8     projects to serve border colonias takes effect.  If that amendment
 3-9     is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.