LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                            February 13, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Clyde Alexander, Chair, House Committee on
               Transportation
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HJR55  by Alexander (Proposing a constitutional amendment
               in aid of turnpikes, toll roads, and toll bridges.), As
               Introduced
  
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*  The cost to the state for publication of the resolution would be      *
*  $80,000 in fiscal year 2002.                                          *
*                                                                        *
*  Contingent upon the adoption of the amendment and the passage of HB   *
*  1045, or similar legislation, a revenue loss of $7,250,000 in         *
*  fiscal year 2005 and $8,750,000 in 2006 to State Highway Fund No.     *
*  006 would be realized.                                                *
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The joint resolution would propose a constitutional amendment to allow
the Texas Department of Transportation to spend grant or loan money from
any available source for the acquisition, construction, maintenance, or
operation of turnpikes, toll roads, and toll bridges and would remove the
requirement that any expenditures from State Highway Fund No. 006 be
repaid to the fund from tolls or other turnpike revenues.

The proposed amendment would be submitted to voters during the election
to be held November 6, 2001.
  
Local Government Impact
  
The proposed amendment would allow TxDOT to provide funding that would
significantly offset local government costs with the State's
participation in the construction of toll facilities and the absence of
a repayment obligation.  Funding provided through grants would have a
significant positive impact on local entities issuing bonds for
construction, whereas funding through loans would not.
  
  
Source Agencies:   601   Texas Department of Transportation, 307
                   Secretary of State, 304   Comptroller of Public
                   Accounts
LBB Staff:         JK, JO, MW