C.S.H.B. 1653 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 1653
By: Chavez
Border and International Affairs
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law ( 201.612, Transportation Code), a political subdivision
or private entity that is authorized to construct a bridge over the Rio
Grande is required to obtain approval from the Texas Transportation
Commission (commission) before it may request approval from the federal
government.  Some aspects of the state approval process are very similar
to the federal requirements and some have argued that this creates
unnecessary duplication and causes delays.   C.S.H.B. 1653 would allow
applicants for bridge approval to apply concurrently with the state and
federal government and would require applicants to withdraw their federal
application if the state rejects their application. 


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant
rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution.  

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  C.S.H.B.  1653 amends the Transportation Code by amending the
section pertaining to requiring a political subdivision or private entity
that is authorized to construct a bridge over the Rio Grande to obtain
approval from the Texas Transportation Commission to authorize the
applicant to request approval concurrently from the federal government.
The bill requires applicants to withdraw their federal application if the
state rejects their application. 

SECTION 2. Effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2003. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute bill amends the original by amending rather than removing
the commission's permitting authority and process.