1-1     By:  Lucio, et al.                                    S.B. No. 1296
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2001; March 12, 2001, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce;
 1-4     April 9, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 2; April 9, 2001,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1296                   By:  Lucio
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to the issuance of general obligation bonds to provide
1-11     financial assistance to counties for roadway projects to serve
1-12     border colonias.
1-13           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-14           SECTION 1.  Subtitle G, Title 9, Government Code, is amended
1-15     by adding Chapter 1403 to read as follows:
1-16                   CHAPTER 1403.  GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS
1-17                     FOR CERTAIN BORDER COLONIA PROJECTS
1-18           Sec. 1403.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
1-19                 (1)  "Authority" means the Texas Public Finance
1-20     Authority.
1-21                 (2)  "Commission" means the Texas Transportation
1-22     Commission.
1-23           Sec. 1403.002.  GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS FOR BORDER COLONIA
1-24     ROADWAY PROJECTS.  (a)  As provided by Section 49-l, Article III,
1-25     Texas Constitution, the authority shall, in accordance with
1-26     requests from the office of the governor:
1-27                 (1)  issue general obligation bonds in an aggregate
1-28     amount not to exceed $175 million, as authorized by the office of
1-29     the governor under Subsection (b), and enter into related bond
1-30     enhancement agreements; and
1-31                 (2)  as directed by the Texas Department of
1-32     Transportation, distribute the proceeds from the sale of the bonds
1-33     to counties to provide financial assistance for colonia access
1-34     roadway projects to serve border colonias.
1-35           (b)  The office of the governor shall determine the amount of
1-36     bonds to be issued at any one time by the authority under
1-37     Subsection (a)(1) and the times at which the bonds are issued.
1-38           (c)  The commission shall establish a program to administer
1-39     the use of the proceeds of the bonds.  The Texas Department of
1-40     Transportation shall administer the program in cooperation with the
1-41     office of the governor, the secretary of state, and the Texas A&M
1-42     University Center for Housing and Urban Development.
1-43           (d)  The commission, in cooperation with the office of the
1-44     governor, shall:
1-45                 (1)  define by rule "border colonia";
1-46                 (2)  establish by rule criteria for selecting which
1-47     areas and which colonia access roadway projects are eligible for
1-48     assistance under this chapter;
1-49                 (3)  determine the counties and the colonia access
1-50     roadway projects that are to receive financial assistance and the
1-51     amount of assistance given to a county or project;
1-52                 (4)  establish by rule minimum road standards a
1-53     county's colonia access roadway proposal must meet to be awarded a
1-54     grant;
1-55                 (5)  establish by rule grant application procedures;
1-56     and
1-57                 (6)  establish by rule financial reporting requirements
1-58     for counties that receive assistance for colonia access roadway
1-59     projects to serve border colonias.
1-60           (e)  The issuance of general obligation bonds under this
1-61     chapter shall comply with and is subject to Subtitle A, Chapter
1-62     1231, and applicable provisions of Chapters 1232 and 1371.
1-63           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect on the date on which the
1-64     constitutional amendment proposed by the 77th Legislature, Regular
 2-1     Session, 2001, authorizing the issuance of state general obligation
 2-2     bonds to provide financial assistance to counties for roadway
 2-3     projects to serve border colonias takes effect.  If that amendment
 2-4     is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.
 2-5                                  * * * * *