| TO: | Honorable Joseph Pickett, Chair, House Committee on Transportation |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2990 by Phillips (Relating to the authority and powers of regional mobility authorities.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend Chapters 370 and 371 of the Transportation Code to make numerous modifications to the statutes regarding the authority and powers of a regional mobility authority (RMA).
The bill would amend the definition of (1) an RMA's "surplus revenue" to include revenue that exceeds an authority's payment obligation under a contract or agreement authorized by Chapter 370; and (2) an RMA's costs for building or expanding a transportation project to include payment obligations incurred by the building or expanding of a transportation project.
The bill would allow an RMA to build parking facilities and collect parking fees; participate in the Comptroller of Public Account's state travel management program; borrow money from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) or any other public or private entity; provide toll collection services for a project within its jurisdiction whether or not the project was constructed or maintained by the authority; and enter into contracts for the construction of a turnpike project by a construction manager-at-risk procedure.
An RMA would be granted powers similar to those granted the Texas Department of Transportation, or a regional tollway authority, for toll collection and enforcement on either RMA tollroads or tollroads constructed by other entities.
The bill would take effect immediately if it was to receive the required two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2009.
Because other local government entities are already authorized by statute to participate in the CPA 's
contract for travel service, it is assumed that any costs for implementing those provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
It is assumed TxDOT would provide a loan to an RMA only if sufficient funds were available.
According to TxDOT, provisions of the bill would provide RMAs more flexibility and broader authority, which would assist areas covered under their authority with the ability to deliver more infrastructure than they would have been able to deliver otherwise.
It is assumed that an RMA would participate in the Comptroller of Public Account's travel management program if doing so would provide a savings in travel costs.
| Source Agencies: | 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 601 Department of Transportation
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KJG, MW, DB
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