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


Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 3303
By: Gutierrez (Hinojosa)
Intergovernmental Relations
5/20/2003
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 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 boards of trustees.  In order to finance the
construction of the new international bridge crossing and meet the
financial requirement for the issuance of debt, some believe that McAllen
must treat both bridges and the operations as one system.  C.S.H.B. 3303
validates the administrative proceedings and acts that 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. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  (a)  Provides that all governmental acts and proceedings of
the City of McAllen authorizing the creation of the two boards of
trustees, conveying real property to the United States for construction of
federal facilities relating to toll bridges, and providing for the
management and control of the international bridge system that includes
the Hidalgo-McAllenReynosa International Bridge and the Anzalduas
International Crossing, are validated as of the dates on which they
occurred. 
 
(b)  Provides that this Act does not apply to any matter that, on the
effective date of this Act, is involved in litigation if the litigation
ultimately results in the matter being held invalid by a final judgment of
a court of competent jurisdiction or has been held invalid by a final
judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction. 
 
SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.