BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1954

By: Parker

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties have noted that the authority that certain airport governing boards have to administer passenger transport licenses for vehicles transporting passengers to and from an airport is limited to the licensing only of taxicab services. C.S.H.B. 1954 seeks to address this issue by providing for the authority of certain airport governing boards to license other vehicles for hire for passenger transportation services to and from airport terminals.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

C.S.H.B. 1954 amends the Transportation Code to authorize a joint board operating a county or municipal airport for which the constituent agencies are populous home-rule municipalities to license vehicles for hire, including taxicabs, and passenger transportation services providing services to or from the airport for compensation and to impose fees for issuing the licenses.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1954 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Section 22.081, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 22.081.  [TAXICAB] LICENSING OF VEHICLES FOR HIRE. A joint board may license vehicles for hire [taxicabs] transporting passengers to or from the airport and impose fees for issuing the licenses.	SECTION 1.  Section 22.081, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 22.081.  [TAXICAB] LICENSING OF VEHICLES FOR HIRE AND PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.  (a)  A joint board may license taxicabs transporting passengers to or from the airport and impose fees for issuing the licenses. (b)  A joint board for which the constituent agencies are populous home-rule municipalities may: (1)  license vehicles for hire, including taxicabs, and passenger transportation services providing services to or from the airport for compensation; and (2)  impose fees for issuing the licenses.
SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.