| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the Port of Corpus Christi Authority of Nueces County, |
|
|
Texas. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 397, Acts of the 68th Legislature, |
|
|
Regular Session, 1983, is amended by adding Sections 1A, 4B, and 4C |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 1A. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
|
|
(1) "Authority" means the Port of Corpus Christi |
|
|
Authority of Nueces County, Texas. |
|
|
(2) "Port commission" means the governing body of the |
|
|
Port of Corpus Christi Authority of Nueces County, Texas. |
|
|
(3) "Port commissioner" means a member of the port |
|
|
commission. |
|
|
Sec. 4B. ELECTIONS. An election relating to the authority |
|
|
shall be held in the authority as a whole, and not on a |
|
|
county-by-county basis. |
|
|
Sec. 4C. SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. (a) The port |
|
|
commission may adopt, amend, repeal, and enforce an ordinance, |
|
|
rule, or police regulation necessary to: |
|
|
(1) protect, secure, and defend the ship channels and |
|
|
waterways in the jurisdiction of the authority and facilities |
|
|
served by those ship channels and waterways; |
|
|
(2) promote the health, safety, and general welfare of |
|
|
any person using the ship channels and waterways in the |
|
|
jurisdiction of the authority; or |
|
|
(3) comply with a federal law or regulation or |
|
|
implement a directive or standard of the federal government, |
|
|
including the United States Department of Homeland Security and the |
|
|
United States Coast Guard, relating to securing ship channels and |
|
|
waterways and facilities served by ship channels and waterways and |
|
|
preventing terrorist attacks on ship channels, waterways, |
|
|
associated maritime facilities, and other facilities served by ship |
|
|
channels and waterways. |
|
|
(b) In the enforcement of an authority ordinance, rule, or |
|
|
police regulation, a sheriff, constable, or other duly constituted |
|
|
peace officer of this state or a peace officer employed or appointed |
|
|
by the port commission may make arrests, serve criminal warrants, |
|
|
subpoenas, or writs, and perform any other service or duty that may |
|
|
be performed by any sheriff, constable, or other duly constituted |
|
|
peace officer of this state in enforcing other laws of this state. |
|
|
(c) In adopting an ordinance, rule, or police regulation |
|
|
under Subsection (a) of this section, the port commission shall |
|
|
comply with the procedures provided by Sections 60.074 and 60.075, |
|
|
Water Code. |
|
|
(d) The authority may enter into an interlocal agreement |
|
|
with this state or a county, municipality, or other political |
|
|
subdivision of this state to jointly provide, and share the costs |
|
|
of, security for the ship channels and waterways in the |
|
|
jurisdiction of the authority. |
|
|
(e) To protect the public interest, the authority may |
|
|
contract with a qualified party, including the federal government, |
|
|
Nueces County, or San Patricio County, for the provision of law |
|
|
enforcement services in all or part of the jurisdiction of the |
|
|
authority. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |