BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1573

By: McClendon

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties observe that, across the state, counties are finding funds allocated to local transportation projects insufficient to meet increasing needs of certain communities. They note that vehicle owners in some counties pay an optional registration fee approved by the county commissioners court, in addition to the state registration fee proportional to the gross weight of the vehicle, which is applied toward certain transportation projects and which assists those counties' ability to accommodate such needs. H.B. 1573 seeks to provide additional revenue for a county with an advanced transportation district, such as Bexar County, by authorizing the imposition of an additional registration fee dedicated to certain transportation projects.

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

H.B. 1573 amends the Transportation Code to make statutory provisions authorizing the county commissioners court in a border county that meets certain population criteria to impose an additional fee for a vehicle registered in the county for the county's regional mobility authority to fund long-term transportation projects applicable also to a county that contains an advanced transportation district, with the exception of the provisions for the fee disposition. The bill requires such a county containing an advanced transportation district to deposit the county's vehicle registration fee revenue collected in a special account in the county general fund and restricts use of money in the account to the funding or pledging of funds for the financing of a transportation project.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.