BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1888
By: Hinojosa
Transportation & Homeland Security
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Hidalgo County Metropolitan Planning Organization, along with other metropolitan areas across Texas, has experienced significant growth without a matching increase in funding to increase the capacity of the transportation system. The Texas Metropolitan Mobility Plan has identified an additional need of $1.4 billion to address all of the mobility needs for Hidalgo County. This need does not include the immediate need to repay bonds authorized by Proposition 14 to provide the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) with a short-term loan toward TxDOT's project. Additional funds may be needed to accomplish the stated goals of the plan.
As proposed, S.B. 1888 authorizes an additional $10 vehicle registration fee for residents of Hidalgo County.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter D, Chapter 502, Transportation Code, by adding Section 502.189, as follows:
Sec. 502.189. OPTIONAL COUNTY FEE TO ADDRESS MOBILITY NEEDS. (a) Provides that this section applies only to a county that borders Mexico, that has a population greater than 500,000, and whose largest municipality has a population of less than 300,000 (applicable county).
(b) Authorizes a vehicle authorized to be registered without payment of a registration fee under Chapter 502 (Registration of Vehicles), Transportation Code, to be registered in a county imposing a fee under this section (additional fee) without payment of the additional fee.
(c) Authorizes the commissioners court of the applicable county to impose by order an additional fee of $10 for each vehicle registration in the county to address the mobility needs of the county within the metropolitan area boundaries of any metropolitan planning organization in the county.
(d) Authorizes the additional fee to take effect only on January 1 of a year.
Requires the applicable county to adopt the order and to notify the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) not later than September 1 of the year
preceding the year in which the fee takes effect.
(e) Authorizes the removal of an additional fee imposed under this section. Authorizes the removal to take effect only on January 1 of a year. Authorizes the applicable county to remove the fee only by rescinding the order imposing the additional fee and notifying TxDOT of the removal not later than September 1 of the year preceding the year in which the removal takes effect.
(f) Requires the county assessor-collector of the applicable county imposing the additional fee to collect that fee for a vehicle when other fees imposed under this chapter (Registration of Vehicles) are collected.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2007.