TO: | Honorable Frank Corte Jr., Chair, House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs |
FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | HB1561 by Aycock (Relating to discount programs for certain veterans provided by toll project entities.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to authorize a toll project entity to establish a discount program for electronic toll collection customers. The bill would require the program to include free or discounted use of a an entity’s toll project by an electronic toll collection customer whose account relates to a vehicle registered by a veteran of the United States armed forces who became totally disabled for purposes of employability according to the disability ratings of the Department of Veterans Affairs as a result of a service-related injury. The bill would authorize the legislature to appropriate funds from the General Revenue fund to defray the cost of providing free or discounted use of the entity’s toll project.
TxDOT indicates that the bond indenture related to the Central Texas Turnpike System (CTTS) does not provide the flexibility for a toll reduction or exemption program. It is assumed General Revenue funds would be required if TxDOT were to implement the discount program on the CTTS. The fiscal implications to the state would depend on the number of eligible veterans who would register for the program and utilize the toll facilities. Based on the information provided by TxDOT on the number of vehicles registered to disabled veterans in Travis and
Source Agencies: | 601 Department of Transportation
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LBB Staff: | JOB, KK, TG, TP
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