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.