By Lucio                                              S.B. No. 1517
         77R6662 MTB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the survey of certain owners of property acquired by
 1-3     the Texas Department of Transportation.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 224, Transportation Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 224.009 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 224.009.  RIGHT-OF-WAY ACQUISITION SURVEY.  (a)  In this
 1-8     section, "acquisition agent" includes a department employee and an
 1-9     employee of a private entity who perform functions related to
1-10     right-of-way acquisition that involve the public.
1-11           (b)  The department shall submit a survey to each owner of
1-12     property acquired by the department under this subchapter to assess
1-13     public satisfaction with the performance of acquisition agents. The
1-14     department may contract for the collection and analysis of
1-15     completed surveys. The department shall use the analysis to improve
1-16     the performance of acquisition agents and to resolve complaints
1-17     regarding right-of-way acquisition.
1-18           SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Transportation shall
1-19     evaluate the results of the survey under Section 224.009,
1-20     Transportation Code, as added by this Act, and consider other
1-21     relevant information in order to determine whether an employee of a
1-22     private entity is able to perform the functions of an acquisition
1-23     agent better and at a lower cost when compared with a department
1-24     employee.  Before January 1, 2003, the department shall report its
 2-1     findings to the legislature.
 2-2           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.