|
|
|
A JOINT RESOLUTION
|
|
proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the creation of |
|
the state infrastructure fund and board to provide financial |
|
assistance for certain projects related to economic development |
|
infrastructure and for the transfer to the fund of money from the |
|
economic stabilization fund; making an appropriation. |
|
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Article XVI, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
|
adding Section 74 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 74. (a) In this section: |
|
(1) "Board" means the State Infrastructure Board. |
|
(2) "Economic development infrastructure" includes |
|
transportation infrastructure and port infrastructure. |
|
(3) "Fund" means the state infrastructure fund. |
|
(4) "Political subdivision" means: |
|
(A) a county; |
|
(B) a municipality; or |
|
(C) another governmental unit that has the |
|
authority to build roads or operate and develop ports, including a |
|
district created under Section 52, Article III, or Section 59, |
|
Article XVI, of this constitution. |
|
(5) "State agency" includes an institution of higher |
|
education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
|
(6) "Transportation institute" means a transportation |
|
research facility within The Texas A&M University System. |
|
(b) The State Infrastructure Board consists of three |
|
members appointed by the governor with: |
|
(1) one member knowledgeable of or experienced in |
|
transportation planning; |
|
(2) one member knowledgeable of or experienced in port |
|
issues; and |
|
(3) one member knowledgeable of or experienced in |
|
urban planning and economic development. |
|
(c) Members of the board serve staggered terms of six years, |
|
with the term of one member expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered |
|
year. The governor shall designate a member of the board to serve as |
|
the presiding officer. |
|
(d) A member of the board serves without compensation but is |
|
entitled to reimbursement for expenses as provided by the General |
|
Appropriations Act. |
|
(e) The state infrastructure fund is a special revolving |
|
fund in the state treasury. The fund consists of: |
|
(1) money the legislature appropriates to the fund; |
|
(2) donations made to the fund; |
|
(3) loan repayments received by the board from loans |
|
made under this section; and |
|
(4) interest earned on the balance of the fund. |
|
(f) The board may use money in the fund only to provide: |
|
(1) loans to political subdivisions for projects |
|
related to economic development infrastructure; or |
|
(2) credit enhancement to political subdivisions and |
|
other governmental entities that operate or maintain mass transit |
|
or toll projects for projects related to economic development |
|
infrastructure. |
|
(g) State agencies shall provide assistance and advice to |
|
the board in prioritizing infrastructure projects for the provision |
|
of loans under this section. |
|
(h) The transportation institute shall submit |
|
recommendations to the board regarding the use of money in the fund |
|
for use by the board in adopting rules under Subsection (i) of this |
|
section. |
|
(i) The board shall adopt rules providing for the use of |
|
money in the fund consistent with this section, including rules: |
|
(1) establishing standards for the eligibility of |
|
political subdivisions and other entities to receive loans or |
|
credit enhancement for projects related to economic development |
|
infrastructure under Subsection (f) of this section; and |
|
(2) specifying the manner for prioritizing projects |
|
for lending or credit enhancement under Subsection (f) of this |
|
section. |
|
(j) The board shall give appropriate consideration to the |
|
recommendations of the transportation institute before adopting |
|
rules under Subsection (i) of this section. |
|
(k) Except as provided by Subsection (f)(2) of this section, |
|
money in the fund may not be used for transportation infrastructure |
|
projects that involve mass transit or toll projects. |
|
(l) The amount of $3 billion is transferred from the |
|
economic stabilization fund to the credit of the fund, and that |
|
amount is appropriated to the board for the purposes of the state |
|
infrastructure fund for the state fiscal biennium beginning |
|
September 1, 2013. This subsection expires August 31, 2015. |
|
SECTION 2. The following temporary provision is added to |
|
the Texas Constitution: |
|
TEMPORARY PROVISION. (a) This temporary provision applies |
|
to the constitutional amendment proposed by the 83rd Legislature, |
|
Regular Session, 2013, providing for the creation of the state |
|
infrastructure fund and board to provide financial assistance for |
|
certain projects related to economic development infrastructure |
|
and for the transfer to the state infrastructure fund of money from |
|
the economic stabilization fund. |
|
(b) Section 74, Article XVI, of this constitution takes |
|
effect January 1, 2014. |
|
(c) Promptly after January 1, 2014, the governor shall |
|
appoint the initial members of the State Infrastructure Board in |
|
accordance with Section 74, Article XVI, of this constitution. Of |
|
those members, the governor shall designate one to serve a term |
|
expiring February 1, 2019, one to serve a term expiring February 1, |
|
2017, and one to serve a term expiring February 1, 2015. |
|
(d) This temporary provision expires January 1, 2015. |
|
SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
|
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 5, 2013. |
|
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
|
proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for the |
|
creation of the state infrastructure fund and board to provide |
|
financial assistance for certain projects related to economic |
|
development infrastructure and for the transfer to the fund of |
|
money from the economic stabilization fund." |