C.S.H.B. 2974 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 2974
By: Ch_vez
Border and International Affairs
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Since the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the
subsequent increase in traffic along the Texas-Mexico border, the
transportation infrastructure needs of the Texas-Mexico border region have
increased greatly. Currently, 76 percent of NAFTA related traffic comes
through the Texas-Mexico Border. Some argue that existing transportation
infrastructure is not sufficient to handle the increasing volume of
traffic resulting from NAFTA.  C.S.H.B. 2974 would require the Department
of Transportation to implement an integrated trade transportation corridor
plan for crossborder traffic.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does expressly delegate any
additional rulemaking authority to a state agency, department, institution
or officer. 

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. C.S.H.B. 2974 amends the Transportation Code to require the
Department of Transportation to implement an integrated trade
transportation corridor plan for cross-border traffic. The bill provides
that the plan must include strategies and projects to aid the exchange of
international trade using the system of multiple transportation modes in
this state, and assign priorities based on the amount of international
trade, measured by weight and value, using the transportation systems of
this state, including border ports of entry, commercial ports, inland
ports, highways, pipelines, railroads, and deepwater gulf ports.  

SECTION 2. Effective Date. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.