By: Watson S.B. No. 2015

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain metropolitan rapid transit authorities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 451.061, Transportation Code, is amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows:

(d) Except as provided by Subsection (d-1), the [The] fares, tolls, charges, rents, and other compensation established by an authority in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 1.2 million may not take effect until approved by a majority vote of a committee composed of:

(1) five members of the governing body of the principal municipality, selected by that governing body;

(2) three members of the commissioners court of the county having the largest portion of the incorporated territory of the principal municipality, selected by that commissioners court; and

(3) three mayors of municipalities, other than the principal municipality, located in the authority, selected by:

(A) the mayors of all the municipalities, except the principal municipality, located in the authority; or

(B) the mayor of the most populous municipality, other than the principal municipality, in the case of an authority in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 300,000.

(d-1) The establishment of or a change to fares, tolls, charges, rents, and other compensation by an authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 750,000, takes effect immediately on approval by a majority vote of the board, except that the establishment of or a change to a single-ride base fare takes effect on the 60th day after the date the board approves the fare or change to the fare, unless the policy board of the metropolitan planning organization that serves the area of the authority disapproves the fare or change to the fare by a majority vote.

SECTION 2. Section 451.071, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:

(g) This section does not require the authority to hold a referendum on a proposal to:

(1) enter into a contract to build, operate, or maintain a fixed rail transit system for another entity; or

(2) expand a system previously approved under this section if the proposed expansion:

(A) involves the addition of not more than one mile of track to the system; and

(B) improves the operational performance of the system.

SECTION 3. Subchapter J, Chapter 451, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Sections 451.458, 451.459, and 451.460 to read as follows:

Sec. 451.458. INTERNAL AUDITOR. (a) This section applies only to an authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 750,000.

(b) The board shall enter into a contract with a qualified individual to perform internal auditing services as specified in the contract. A contract entered into under this section may be renewed for subsequent fiscal years of the authority.

(c) The contract must require the auditor to report directly to the board.

Sec. 451.459. SUNSET REVIEW. (a) An authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 750,000 is subject to review under Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act), as if it were a state agency but may not be abolished under that chapter. The review shall be conducted as if the authority were scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2011. In addition, another review shall be conducted as if the authority were scheduled to be abolished September 1, 2016.

(b) The authority shall pay the cost incurred by the Sunset Advisory Commission in performing a review of the authority under this section. The Sunset Advisory Commission shall determine the cost, and the authority shall pay the amount promptly on receipt of a statement from the Sunset Advisory Commission detailing the cost.

Sec. 451.460. REPORT TO PRINCIPAL MUNICIPALITY. (a) This section applies only to an authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 750,000.

(b) The authority annually shall provide an oral report to the governing body of the principal municipality regarding the status of any financial obligation of the authority to the municipality.

SECTION 4. Section 451.5021, Transportation Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding Subsections (b-1), (d-1), and (d-2) to read as follows:

(a) This section applies only to the board of an authority created before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population of less than 750,000 [in which each member of the governing body of the principal municipality is elected at large].

(b) Members of the [The] board [is composed of seven members who] are appointed as follows:

(1) one member, who is an elected official, [two members representing the general public] appointed by the metropolitan planning organization designated by the governor that serves the area of the authority;

(2) one member, who is an elected official, [two members] appointed by the governing body of the principal municipality;

(3) one member jointly appointed by:

(A) the governing body of the principal municipality; and

(B) the commissioners court of the principal county;

(4) one member jointly appointed by:

(A) the governing body of the principal municipality; and

(B) the commissioners court of the county, excluding the principal county, that has the largest population of the counties in the authority [a panel composed of the mayors of all the municipalities in the authority located in the principal county of the authority, excluding the mayor of the principal municipality]; [and]

(5) one member, who is an elected official, appointed by a panel composed of:

(A) the mayors of all municipalities in the authority [located outside the principal county of the authority], excluding the mayor of the principal municipality; and

(B) each member of a commissioners court who represents a commissioner precinct that includes an [the county judges of the counties having] unincorporated area of the county in the authority;

(6) one member, who has at least 10 years of experience as a financial or accounting professional, appointed by the metropolitan planning organization that serves the area in which the authority is located;

(7) one member, who has at least 10 years of experience in an executive-level position in a public or private organization, including a governmental entity, appointed by the metropolitan planning authority that serves the area in which the authority is located; and

(8) two members appointed by the metropolitan planning organization that serves the area in which the authority is located, if according to the most recent federal decennial census more than 35 percent of the population in the territory of the authority resides outside the principal municipality[, excluding the county judge of the principal county; and

[(C) the presiding officer of each municipal utility district that:

[(i) has a majority of its territory located outside the principal county; and

[(ii) is located wholly or partly in the authority].

(b-1) Members of the board serve staggered three-year terms, with the terms of two or three members, as applicable, expiring June 1 of each year.

(d) A person appointed under Subsection (b)(1), (2) [(b)(2), (3), (4)], or (5):

(1) must be a member of the governing body:

(A) of the political subdivision that is entitled to make the appointment; or

(B) over which a member of the panel entitled to make an appointment presides;

(2) vacates the office of board member if the person ceases to be a member of the governing body described by Subdivision (1);

(3) serves on the board as an additional duty of the office held on the governing body described by Subdivision (1); and

(4) is not entitled to compensation for serving as a member of the board.

(d-1) At least two members appointed under Subsections (b)(1), (6), and (7) must be qualified voters residing in the principal municipality.

(d-2) A person appointed under Subsection (b)(3) or (4) must:

(1) have the person's principal place of occupation or employment in:

(A) the principal municipality; or

(B) a county commissioners precinct represented by a member of the panel that appointed the person; or

(2) be a qualified voter of:

(A) the principal municipality; or

(B) a county commissioners precinct represented by a member of the panel that appointed the person.

SECTION 5. Subsections (g) and (h), Section 451.5021, Transportation Code, are repealed.

SECTION 6. (a) The term of a member of the board of a rapid transit authority confirmed before July 1, 1985, in which the principal municipality has a population of 750,000 or less expires on November 1, 2009.

(b) As soon as practicable on or after the effective date of this Act, but not later than November 1, 2009, the persons and entities specified in Section 451.5021, Transportation Code, as amended by this Act, shall appoint the members of the board of the rapid transit authority in compliance with that section, as amended, to serve terms that begin November 1, 2009.

(c) The members of the board of the rapid transit authority appointed under Subsection (b) of this section shall draw lots to determine which terms of three members expire June 1, 2010, which terms of three members expire June 1, 2011, and which terms of three members expire June 1, 2012.

SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.