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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Transportation Legislative |
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Oversight Committee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 6, Transportation Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 205 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 205. TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE |
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Sec. 205.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "committee" |
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means the Transportation Legislative Oversight Committee. |
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Sec. 205.002. ESTABLISHMENT; COMPOSITION. (a) The |
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Transportation Legislative Oversight Committee is established to |
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provide objective research, analysis, and recommendations on the |
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operation and needs of the state transportation system. |
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(b) The committee is composed of six members as follows: |
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(1) the chair of the Senate Committee on |
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Transportation and Homeland Security; |
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(2) the chair of the House Committee on |
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Transportation; |
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(3) two members of the senate appointed by the |
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lieutenant governor; and |
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(4) two members of the house of representatives |
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appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. |
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(c) An appointed member of the committee serves at the |
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pleasure of the appointing official. |
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Sec. 205.003. PRESIDING OFFICER; TERM. (a) The lieutenant |
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governor and the speaker of the house of representatives shall |
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appoint the presiding officer of the committee on an alternating |
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basis. |
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(b) The presiding officer of the committee serves a two-year |
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term that expires February 1 of each odd-numbered year. |
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Sec. 205.004. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The committee shall: |
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(1) monitor the department's planning, programming, |
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and funding of the state transportation system; |
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(2) conduct an in-depth analysis of the state |
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transportation system that includes: |
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(A) an assessment of the cost-effectiveness of |
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the use of state, local, and private funds in the transportation |
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system; |
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(B) an identification of critical problems in the |
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transportation system, such as funding constraints; and |
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(C) a determination of the long-range needs of |
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the transportation system; |
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(3) recommend to the legislature: |
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(A) strategies to solve the problems identified |
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under Subdivision (2)(B); and |
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(B) policy priorities to address the long-range |
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needs determined under Subdivision (2)(C); and |
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(4) advise and assist the legislature in developing |
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plans, programs, and proposed legislation to improve the |
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effectiveness of the state transportation system. |
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(b) The committee has all other powers and duties provided |
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to a special committee by: |
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(1) Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Government Code; |
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(2) the rules of the senate and the house of |
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representatives; and |
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(3) policies of the senate and house committees on |
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administration. |
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Sec. 205.005. REVIEW OF RESEARCH PROGRAM. (a) The |
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department shall present the department's entire research program |
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to the committee for review and comment before adopting or |
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implementing the program. |
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(b) The committee shall review and comment on the |
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department's research program, including each of the individual |
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research projects and activities. The review of a proposed research |
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project must include an evaluation of the purpose of the project, |
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the proposed start and ending dates for the project, and the cost of |
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the project. |
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(c) The department shall provide to the committee quarterly |
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updates and an annual summary on the progress of the department's |
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research projects and activities. |
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(d) The committee may request the results of any of the |
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department's research projects, including draft reports from the |
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department or the contracted entities performing the research. |
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(e) A university transportation research program in this |
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state may: |
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(1) perform transportation research projects |
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recommended by the committee; and |
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(2) initiate and propose transportation research |
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projects to the committee. |
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(f) The committee may request assistance from a university |
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transportation research program in this state in conducting |
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transportation research and in reviewing, evaluating, and |
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comparing elements of the state transportation system to the |
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transportation systems in other states to set needed benchmarks. |
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Sec. 205.006. CONTRACT WITH CONSULTING FIRM. (a) The |
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committee may contract with an outside management consulting firm |
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that is independent of the department to make recommendations |
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regarding an effective and efficient organizational structure for |
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the department, including recommending appropriate performance |
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measurements and staffing levels for each major function of the |
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department, after review and analysis under Section 205.007. |
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(b) In performing its functions, the consulting firm shall |
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coordinate with the Legislative Budget Board, the State Auditor's |
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Office, and the department to minimize the duplication of efforts |
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and to perform cost effectively and in a timely manner. |
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(c) The committee shall: |
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(1) oversee the implementation of the recommendations |
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under this section with the goal of making the department more |
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efficient, transparent, and accountable, including through |
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reducing staff and streamlining processes; and |
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(2) assess the department's progress in implementing |
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the recommendations under this section and report on the progress |
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to the Senate Finance Committee and House Appropriations Committee |
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for consideration in establishing the department's budget as part |
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of the appropriations process. |
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Sec. 205.007. FUNCTIONS OF CONSULTING FIRM. The primary |
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functions of a management consulting firm the committee contracts |
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with under Section 205.006 include: |
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(1) evaluating the department's financial condition |
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and business practices; |
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(2) evaluating the department's administrative |
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practices and performance, including statewide transportation |
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planning, the department's relationship with metropolitan planning |
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organizations, as defined by Section 472.031, the performance of |
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the department's district and central offices, and the need for |
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standardization of the department's operations across the state; |
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(3) evaluating the current guidelines of metropolitan |
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planning organizations and all other transportation entities |
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within the state involved with project delivery or transportation |
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policy by identifying duplicative practices and providing |
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recommendations for better efficiency and transparency; |
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(4) identifying ways to streamline all processes and |
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procedures of policy implementations of the department, including |
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the environmental process; |
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(5) examining and evaluating the use and benefits of |
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performance-based maintenance contracting by the department; |
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(6) examining and presenting recommendations on how to |
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maximize the department's use of multimodal solutions; |
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(7) analyzing the department's compliance with |
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applicable laws and legislative intent; |
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(8) examining the efficient use of the department's |
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available funding, personnel, equipment, and office space; |
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(9) evaluating the establishment in statute of a state |
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pavement quality goal of having 85 percent of state roads in good or |
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better condition; and |
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(10) considering significantly expanding the use of |
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the private sector for planning, design, and delivery of projects |
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and a commitment to excellence in project and program management. |
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Sec. 205.008. MEETINGS. The committee shall meet at the |
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call of the presiding officer. |
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Sec. 205.009. STAFF; AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT. The committee |
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may hire staff or may contract with universities or other suitable |
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entities to assist the committee in carrying out the committee's |
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duties. Funding to support the operation of the committee shall be |
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provided from funds appropriated to the department. |
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Sec. 205.010. REPORT. Not later than January 1 of each |
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odd-numbered year, the committee shall submit to the legislature a |
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report that contains the recommendations described by Section |
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205.004(a)(3). |
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SECTION 2. (a) The speaker of the house of representatives |
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and the lieutenant governor shall appoint members to the |
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Transportation Legislative Oversight Committee under Chapter 205, |
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Transportation Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, |
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2010. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 205.003, Transportation Code, |
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as added by this Act, the lieutenant governor, not later than |
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January 15, 2010, shall appoint a presiding officer for the |
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Transportation Legislative Oversight Committee. The presiding |
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officer appointed by the lieutenant governor under this section |
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serves a one-year term that begins on February 1, 2010, and ends on |
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February 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 3. On the effective date of this Act: |
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(1) all employees of the Texas Department of |
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Transportation who primarily perform duties related to the |
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department's government and public affairs research section become |
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employees of the Transportation Legislative Oversight Committee |
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under Chapter 205, Transportation Code, as added by this Act; and |
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(2) all funds appropriated by the legislature to the |
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Texas Department of Transportation for purposes related to the |
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department's government and public affairs research section are |
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transferred to the Transportation Legislative Oversight Committee |
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under Chapter 205, Transportation Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |