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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the enhancement of Texas maritime ports for expanded |
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service to international marine freight and passenger markets. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 55, Transportation Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 55.002. PORT DEVELOPMENT FUNDING. (a) From money in |
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the fund, the department shall fund: |
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(1) port security, transportation, or facility |
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projects; and |
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(2) maritime port studies. |
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(b) The commission by rule may establish matching fund |
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requirements for receiving money from the fund. |
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(c) Port security, transportation, or facility projects |
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eligible for funding under this chapter include: |
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(1) construction or improvement of transportation |
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facilities within the jurisdiction of a maritime port; |
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(2) the dredging or deepening of channels, turning |
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basins, or harbors; |
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(3) the construction or improvement of wharves, docks, |
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structures, jetties, piers, storage facilities, cruise terminals, |
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or any facilities necessary or useful in connection with maritime |
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port transportation or economic development; |
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(4) the construction or improvement of facilities |
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necessary or useful in providing maritime port security; |
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(5) the acquisition of container cranes or other |
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mechanized equipment used in the movement of cargo or passengers in |
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international commerce; |
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(6) the acquisition of land to be used for maritime |
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port purposes; |
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(7) the acquisition, improvement, enlargement, or |
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extension of existing maritime port facilities; and |
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(8) environmental protection projects that: |
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(A) are required as a condition of a state, |
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federal, or local environmental permit or other form of approval; |
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(B) are necessary for the acquisition of spoil |
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disposal sites and improvements to existing and future spoil sites; |
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or |
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(C) result from the undertaking of eligible |
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projects. |
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(d) The department, in consultation with the committee, |
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shall review the list of projects recommended by the committee to |
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evaluate the economic benefit of each project. The commission, |
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after receiving recommendations from the committee and from the |
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department, shall approve projects or studies for funding based on |
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its review. |
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(d-1) For any project with a potential cost exceeding |
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$1,000,000, the department, in consultation with the committee, |
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shall review its impact upon the ports competitiveness in the |
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international marketplace, as a factor in ranking the project for |
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priority funding. |
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(d-2) For any project with a potential cost exceeding |
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$10,000,000, the department, in consultation with the committee, |
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shall review the possibility of a public private partnership, and |
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potential cost, project delivery, and efficiency advantages. |
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SECTION 2. Section 55, Transportation Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 55.008. CAPITAL PROGRAM. (a) The committee shall |
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prepare a two-year port capital program defining the goals and |
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objectives of the committee concerning the development of maritime |
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port facilities and an intermodal transportation system. The port |
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capital program must include projects or studies submitted to the |
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committee by any maritime port and recommendations for: |
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(1) the construction of transportation facilities |
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connecting any maritime port to another transportation mode; and |
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(2) the efficient, cost-effective development of |
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transportation facilities or maritime port facilities for the |
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purpose of: |
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(A) enhancing international trade; |
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(B) enhancing security; |
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(C) promoting cargo flow; |
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(D) increasing cruise passenger movements; |
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(E) increasing maritime port revenues; [and] |
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(F) generating new trade-related jobs; and |
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(G) providing economic benefits to the state. |
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(b) The committee shall update the port capital program and |
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shall submit the capital program not later than December 1 of each |
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even-numbered year to: |
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(1) the governor; |
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(2) the lieutenant governor; |
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(3) the speaker of the house of representatives; and |
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(4) the commission. |
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(c) Prior to approval of the port capital program, the |
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committee, in consultation with the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board, the Texas Workforce Commission and other |
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appropriate agencies, on a workforce development plan to equip |
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Texans to pursue job opportunities related to the new port |
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investment. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 60, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 60.002 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 60.002. TEXAS GLOBAL SEAPORTS PROGRAM. (a) In this |
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section, "program" means the Texas Global Seaports Program. |
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(b) An interagency, public-private sector work group |
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entitled the Texas Global Seaports Work Group is created to consult |
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upon, develop, adopt an action plan for, and fund the program, |
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including: |
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(1) develop or update a process to allow agencies and |
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business to work together to identify the key emerging global |
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markets for Texas products and services, and inbound foreign |
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investment in Texas businesses, and collaborate to identify |
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improvements to Texas' seaports to better serve international |
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commerce; |
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(2) consult with local governments, educational |
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institutions, economic development and metropolitan planning |
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organizations, workforce development agencies, small business |
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agencies, chambers of commerce, trade associations, and other |
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stakeholders, to elicit recommendations on a statewide strategy to |
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enhance services out of Texas' global seaports; |
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(3) consult with the top industry consumers of Texas |
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products and services in foreign nations, elicit recommendations on |
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improvements to Texas airports, including enhancements targeting |
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international shippers and passengers, which would improve Texas' |
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ability to compete with other states, provinces and nations for |
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international maritime business; and |
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(4) Establish a "Texas Global Seaports Fund," and |
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criteria and a procedure through which a facility may secure |
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certification as a "Texas Global Seaport," entitling the facility |
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to apply for funding for capital and other improvements from the |
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fund. |
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(c) The task force shall meet at least once quarterly in |
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Austin to report on results of their consultations, new |
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international partnerships, and best practices and case studies |
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from other states, provinces and nations. |
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(d) No later than December 31, 2014, the Task Force shall |
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publish its findings and strategic recommendations, including |
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selected case studies from other nations, and a strategic plan to |
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boost total international activity at Texas seaports by 20% by the |
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year 2025. |
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(e) In fulfilling its duties, the task force shall consider |
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opportunities to collaborate with the federal government, |
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including the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal |
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Maritime Administration, and other federal government departments, |
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and the effect of federal policies, including trade agreements, |
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upon Texas' maritime business opportunities in the global |
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marketplace. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |