H.B. 1883 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1883 By: Baxter Transportation Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently there is no statutory authority for members serving on a metropolitan planning organization to appoint a voting proxy to act in their absence on matters before the policy board. H.B. 1883 authorizes a policy board of a metropolitan planning organization designated or redesignated under 23 U.S.C. Section 134 to provide in its bylaws for appointment of voting proxies by its members. 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 HB 1883 amends Chapter 472, Transportation Code, by adding Subchapter D, to authorize a policy board of a metropolitan planning organization designated or redesignated under 23 U.S.C. Section 134 to provide in its bylaws for appointment of voting proxies by its members. A proxy appointed under Subsection (a): acts on behalf of and under the supervision of the policy board member who appointed the proxy; must be appointed in writing; and is authorized to vote for the policy board member who appointed the proxy to the extent the member has given the proxy the member's voting power. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003.