BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.J.R. 25
81R2195 JTS-D By: Harris et al.
Transportation & Homeland Security
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, under the Texas Constitution, only taxes on motor fuels and lubricants, vehicle registrations, and federal reimbursements are specifically dedicated to fund the acquisition of rights-of-way and the construction, maintenance, and policing of public roadways. In recent legislative sessions, new funding mechanisms, such as tolling, have been created to finance projects. These projects have the ability to produce large amounts of revenue both up front and over time, as was demonstrated by the State Highway 121 project in Dallas, Denton, and Collin Counties and the State Highway 161 project in Dallas County. The legislature currently operates under a policy that the funds from toll projects be used to build other transportation projects.
S.J.R. 25 proposes a constitutional amendment to require that revenue that is collected from toll roads be used only for the acquisition, construction, operation, maintenance, or improvement of transportation projects.
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. Amends Article VIII, Texas Constitution, by adding Section 7-c, to authorize revenue collected by a public entity from the use of a tolled highway project in this state that is not dedicated to repayment of debt for the project to be used only for the acquisition, construction, operation, maintenance, or improvement of transportation projects.
SECTION 2. Requires the proposed constitutional amendment to be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2009. Sets forth the required language of the ballot.