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 * * * * *