78R12914 MTB-F


By:  Raymond, Krusee                                              H.B. No. 3554

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3554:                                   

By:  Krusee                                                   C.S.H.B. No. 3554


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to motor vehicle inspection facilities near the border of this state and Mexico. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 201.613, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 201.613. [ONE-STOP] BORDER INSPECTION FACILITIES [STATIONS]. (a) The department shall erect and maintain eight border [choose a location for an] inspection facilities not farther than 60 miles from the Rio Grande [station along a major highway at or near a border crossing from Mexico] in the Pharr [Brownsville], [in] Laredo, and [in] El Paso districts for the inspection of motor vehicles after the vehicles have been inspected for compliance with federal regulations [so that all federal, state, and municipal agencies that regulate the passage of persons or vehicles across the border at that border crossing may be located in one place]. (b) If a facility that serves a bridge system that had more than 900,000 commercial border crossings during the state fiscal year ending August 31, 2002, is to be located in a municipality or a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, the municipality may choose the location of the facility within the municipality or the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction. The municipality shall choose a location not later than the 180th day after the date the department makes a request for a location [The department shall establish and maintain an inspection station at the locations chosen in Subsection (a) only if the federal agencies involved in the regulation of the passage of persons or vehicles at that border crossing agree to the design of the facility at each location and agree to use the facility at each location if built]. (c) The department shall begin construction of the facilities at or about the same time and shall take reasonable steps to ensure that construction of the facilities progresses equally [The department may enter into agreements with federal, state, and municipal agencies to accomplish the purpose of this section. An agreement may involve the lease of office space at the inspection station by the department to the agency]. SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Transportation shall spend the money appropriated during the 76th Legislature for Section 201.613, Transportation Code, as added by Chapter 1527, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, or money received from the federal government to establish the border inspection facilities under Section 201.613, Transportation Code, as amended by this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.