LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 21, 2011

TO:	Honorable Larry Phillips, Chair, House Committee on Transportation
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1276 by Guillen (Relating to state actions necessary to maximize federal funding for certain transportation projects and activities in this state.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would implement recommendations in the report, "Maximize the Federal Funds Texas Receives for Transportation" in the Legislative Budget Board's Government Effectiveness and Efficiency Report submitted to the Eighty-second Texas Legislature, 2011.

The bill would amend the Transportation Code to include an evaluation to maximize future federal funding opportunities in the statewide transportation plan. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) would be required to work with local transportation planning entities to maximize the amount of federal funding awarded for projects in the state.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) would be required to establish, implement and administer the terms of the uniform program on hazardous materials transportation as developed by the Alliance for Uniform Hazmat Transportation. Currently the DMV says that new regulations would be required for implementation of the new program and that the current fee structure would likely be impacted. However, DMV states that modest costs required to implement the program could be absorbed using current agency resources. 
 
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure to include race or ethnicity of each passenger in a motor vehicle in the report prepared by a peace officer in a motor vehicle stop, qualifying the state to collect federal funds for a data tracking system for the prevention of racial profiling.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

405 Department of Public Safety, 601 Department of Transportation, 608 Department of Motor Vehicles

LBB Staff:

JOB, KJG, GD, MH, MM, TP