BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1578

By: Williams

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A county is currently eligible to create a freight rail district if the county has a population of 3.3 million or more or is adjacent to such a county. It has been suggested that these limitations inhibit the benefit provided by a freight rail district in improving freight rail lines and other transportation projects within certain counties. S.B. 1578 seeks to allow for the addition of a county to a freight rail district.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1578 amends the Transportation Code to authorize a county to be added to a freight rail district if the county is adjacent to a county with a population of 3.3 million or more that created the district or if the county is adjacent to such a county added to a freight rail district and contains a navigation district. The bill requires the commissioners court of the county to be added to the district, the commissioners court of each county in the district, and the governing body of the most populous municipality in the most populous county in the district by joint resolution to approve the addition of a county to the district. The bill requires the resolution to include the number of directors the new county will have on the district's board. The bill establishes that the county is added to the district on adoption of the resolution by each commissioners court and the governing body of the municipality. The bill requires the district's board of directors to add directors for each county added to the district as provided in the joint resolution. The bill makes conforming changes in provisions relating to district territory, general contract powers of a district, and withdrawal from the district.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.