BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 2622
80R9540 DWS-F By: Ortiz, Jr. (Hinojosa)
Transportation & Homeland Security
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
When the metropolitan transit authority (MTA) legislation was first passed in 1977, all board members were eligible to receive compensation of $50 per meeting for up to five meetings per month. In 1981, amendments to the MTA legislation included a provision eliminating the $50 per meeting compensation for MTA boards in cities of less than 600,000 in population. At that time, the only MTA affected by the provision was Capital Metro in Austin. In 1985, the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority (CCRTA) was established. Because its population is less than 600,000, it fell within the prohibition applicable to Austin. Board members at San Antonio’s VIA and Houston Metro continue to receive this compensation.
In lieu of providing actual compensation for CCRTA board members on the same basis as their counterparts in San Antonio and Houston, CCRTA requests legislative authority to provide health coverage and other employee benefits for board members on the same basis as for CCRTA employees generally. Providing these benefits may help retain board members and provide a benefit to those members for their public service comparable to the $50 per meeting payment applicable at other MTAs.
H.B. 2622 authorizes CCRTA board members to participate in any health or other insurance benefit program offered to a CCRTA employee as if the board member was an employee.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends the heading to Section 451.519, Transportation Code, to read as follows:
Sec. 451.519. BOARD MEMBERS: EXPENSES; PER DIEM; INSURANCE BENEFITS.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 451.519, Transportation Code, by adding Subsection (d) to provide that a board member of a metropolitan rapid transit authority (authority) in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 300,000 is eligible to participate in any health or other insurance benefit program offered to an employee of the authority as if the board member was an employee.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.