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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment allowing the expenditure of |
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motor vehicle fuel taxes, registration fees, and federal |
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reimbursement for those revenues for passenger rail, transit, and |
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freight rail. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 7-a and 7-b, Article VIII, Texas |
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Constitution, are amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 7-a. Subject to legislative appropriation, allocation |
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and direction, all net revenues remaining after payment of all |
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refunds allowed by law and expenses of collection derived from |
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motor vehicle registration fees, and all taxes, except gross |
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production and ad valorem taxes, on motor fuels and lubricants used |
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to propel motor vehicles over public roadways, shall be used for the |
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sole purpose of acquiring rights-of-way, constructing, |
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maintaining, and policing such public roadways, and for the |
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administration of such laws as may be prescribed by the Legislature |
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pertaining to the supervision of traffic and safety on such roads; |
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and for the purpose of constructing, maintaining, and operating |
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passenger rail, transit, and freight rail; [and for the payment of
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the principal and interest on county and road district bonds or
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warrants voted or issued prior to January 2, 1939, and declared
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eligible prior to January 2, 1945, for payment out of the County and
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Road District Highway Fund under existing law;] provided, however, |
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that one-fourth (1/4) of such net revenue from the motor fuel tax |
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shall be allocated to the Available School Fund; and, provided, |
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however, that the net revenue derived by counties from motor |
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vehicle registration fees shall never be less than the maximum |
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amounts allowed to be retained by each County and the percentage |
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allowed to be retained by each County under the laws in effect on |
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January 1, 1945. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as |
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authorizing the pledging of the State's credit for any purpose. |
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Sec. 7-b. All revenues received from the federal government |
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as reimbursement for state expenditures of funds that are |
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themselves dedicated as provided by Section 7-a of this article |
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[for acquiring rights-of-way and constructing, maintaining, and
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policing public roadways] are also constitutionally dedicated and |
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shall be used only for those purposes. |
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SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 8, 2011. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment to allow the |
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expenditure of motor vehicle fuel taxes, registration fees, and |
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federal reimbursement for those revenues to construct, maintain, |
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and operate passenger rail, transit, and freight rail." |