S.B. 53 78(1) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 53 By: Ogden Transportation Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE SRC-TJG S.B. 53 78(1) Under the provisions of H.B. 3588, passed by the 78th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is authorized to combine certain construction projects under a single bond issuance. The legislation, also known as the Trans-Texas Corridor Act, precludes TxDOT from building a transportation corridor that combines different facilities (e.g., rail and highway) if the corridor project extends beyond one municipal planning organization and two adjacent districts and is financed as one project. S.B. 53 allows TxDOT to build a transportation corridor, of any length, that has two or more different facilities without triggering system financing restrictions if the project is continuous. The bill also exempts a project from statutory geographic limitations for system financing if the project is within one comprehensive development agreement. In addition S.B. 53 requires TxDOT to produce an annual report to the legislature detailing expenditures in the following areas: the Unified Transportation Plan; turnpike and toll projects; the Trans-Texas Corridor; certain rail facilities; certain non-highway facilities on the Trans-Texas Corridor; the amount of bonds or other public securities issued for transportation projects; and the direction of money to a regional mobility authority. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 227.014(a), Transportation Code, to authorize a system to only include facilities included in a comprehensive transportation corridor developed under a comprehensive development agreement or facilities located wholly or partly within a territory of a metropolitan planning organization or two adjacent districts. Provides that this section does not prohibit the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)from creating a system that includes a facility that will extend continuously through the territory of two or more metropolitan planning organizations or more than two adjacent TxDOT districts. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2. Amends Section 227.023(c), Transportation Code, to authorize TxDOT, to the extent and in the manner that TxDOT may enter into comprehensive development agreements under Chapter 361 with regard to turnpikes, to enter into a comprehensive development agreement under this chapter that provides for the financing, development, design, construction, or operation of a facility or a combination of facilities on the Trans-Texas Corridor. Makes nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 3. Amends Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, by adding Section 201.616, as follows: Sec. 201.616. ANNUAL REPORT TO LEGISLATURE ON CERTAIN MATTERS. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), not later than December 1 of each year, to submit a report to the legislature detailing certain information. (b) Requires the report to break down information about the unified transportation plan by program category and TxDOT district. Requires the report to break down information about turnpike projects, toll roads, the Trans-Texas Corridor, rail facilities described in Chapter 91, and non-highway facilities on the Trans-Texas Corridor if those expenditures are subject to Section 227.062(c), and the direction of money to a regional mobility authority by TxDOT district. Requires the report to break down information about the amount of bonds or other public securities isued for transportation projects by TxDOT district and type of project. (c) Allows the report to be submitted in an electronic format. SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or November 1, 2003. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, November 1, 2003.