C.S.H.B. 3303 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 3303
By: Gutierrez
Border and International Affairs
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 


The City of McAllen (McAllen) purchased its first international bridge
over the Rio Grande between the City of Reynosa, Mexico (Reynosa) and the
City of Hidalgo, Texas (Hidalgo) in 1960.  McAllen was authorized to issue
debt and to vest the management control of the bridge system in the city's
governing body or a board of trustees. McAllen entered into an interlocal
agreement with Hidalgo whereby the mayor of Hidalgo served on the bridge
board of trustees. McAllen has issued debt and has maintained the
continuance of the bridge board of trustees. 

McAllen is now proposing to build a new international bridge crossing
which will connect Reynosa, McAllen, and the City of Mission, Texas
(Mission). McAllen has entered into another interlocal agreement with
Mission and Hidalgo relating to the creation of a bridge board of
trustees, such that now McAllen, under two interlocal agreements, has two
international bridge board of trustees. In order to finance the
construction of the new international bridge crossing and meet the
financial requirement for the issuance of debt, McAllen must treat both
bridges and the operations as one system. C.S.H.B. 3303 would validate the
administrative proceedings and acts that the City of McAllen has already
taken to authorize the creation of the two boards of trustees.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency.  

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. C.S.H.B. 3303  provides that all governmental acts and
proceedings of the City of McAllen authorizing the creation of the two
boards of trustees, providing for the management and control of its
international bridge system are validated as of the dates on which they
occurred. C.S.H.B. 3303 provides that this Act does not apply to any
matter that, on the effective date,  is involved in litigation if the
litigation ultimately results in the matter being held invalid by a final
judgement of a court or competent jurisdiction or any matter, that on the
effective date, has been held invalid by a final judgement of a court of
competent jurisdiction  

SECTION 3. Effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On 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 amends the original by making non-substantive technical
clarifications. The substitute also eliminates language relating to
application of the act to administrative acts or proceedings initiated on
or before the effective date of this Act.