BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 2660
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Pursuant to Chapter 91, Transportation Code, the authority to create rural rail districts is granted.
The establishment of rural rail districts (who may own facilities and railways) were authorized under provisions of Chapter 623, Acts of the 67th Legislature, Regular Session, 1981 (Article 6550c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes). However, no state funding has been provided to assist in the initial creation of said rural rail districts.
H.B. 2660 will authorize funding to provide, as start up money, for the creation of such rail districts. These powers were authorized to the Texas Department of Transportation (department) under the afore mentioned authority, but funding to assist these local districts has never been provided by the state of Texas.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the opinion of the committee that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 489.102(b), Government Code, by adding subsection (7) to provide financing or grants to the Texas Department of Transportation to apply its responsibilities and authorities relating to rural rail district development under Chapter 91, Transportation Code.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 489.104, Government Code, by adding subsection (2) to provide for the allocation of funds received from the Texas economic development bank fund under Section 489.102(b)(7), Government Code, to finance rural rail districts.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 91.071(b), Transportation Code, to state that, except for money received from the Texas economic development bank fund, money from the general revenue fund may not be spent by the department to implement this chapter except pursuant to a line-item appropriation.
SECTION 4. States the effective date for this Act.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.