| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to intermunicipal commuter rail districts. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 173.052, Transportation Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 173.052. ADDITION OF POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OR OTHER |
|
|
PUBLIC ENTITY TO DISTRICT. The following political subdivisions |
|
|
and other public entities may become a part of a district with the |
|
|
approval of the district and the governing body of the political |
|
|
subdivision or public entity: |
|
|
(1) a county located adjacent to the county in which a |
|
|
creating municipality is located; or |
|
|
(2) a political subdivision or other public |
|
|
entity [municipality with a population of more than 18,000] |
|
|
located in: |
|
|
(A) a county described by Subdivision (1); or |
|
|
[and] |
|
|
(B) [(3) a public entity located in] a county |
|
|
that has become part of the district. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 173.205(b), Transportation Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) The governing body of a municipality, a county, any |
|
|
other political subdivision, or a public agency may donate, |
|
|
exchange, convey, sell, or lease land, improvements, or any other |
|
|
interest in real or personal property to a district to promote a |
|
|
public purpose of the political subdivision or public agency |
|
|
related to commuter rail service [the title or the rights and
|
|
|
easements to property needed by the district for its purposes in
|
|
|
connection with the acquisition, construction, or operation of the
|
|
|
system]. The governing body of the political subdivision or public |
|
|
agency taking action under this subsection: |
|
|
(1) must determine that the transaction will |
|
|
accomplish a public purpose of the political subdivision or public |
|
|
agency; |
|
|
(2) shall ensure that the terms of the transaction |
|
|
accomplish and maintain a public purpose of the political |
|
|
subdivision or public agency; and |
|
|
(3) may establish the value of the property and |
|
|
complete the transaction without complying with the requirements of |
|
|
Chapter 271 or 272, Local Government Code. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Sections 173.256(d-1) and (e), Transportation |
|
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(d-1) For a [A] transportation infrastructure zone of a |
|
|
district established before January 1, 2005: |
|
|
(1) the territory of the zone: |
|
|
(A)[,] may consist of a contiguous or |
|
|
noncontiguous geographic area in the territory of one or more local |
|
|
governments; and |
|
|
(B) must include a commuter rail facility or the |
|
|
site of a proposed commuter rail facility; |
|
|
(2) a local government and the district may agree |
|
|
that, at one or more specified times, the local government will pay |
|
|
to the district an amount that is calculated on the basis of |
|
|
increased ad valorem tax collections, increased sales tax |
|
|
collections, or both, in the area of the zone located in the local |
|
|
government that are attributable to an infrastructure project; |
|
|
(3) the[. The] amount paid by a local government |
|
|
[under Subsection (d)] to the [a] district [established before
|
|
|
January 1, 2005,] may not exceed an amount that is equal to the |
|
|
increase in [ad valorem] tax collections in the zone for the |
|
|
specified period; and |
|
|
(4) a local government and the district may agree to |
|
|
allow the district to enter into agreements and establish programs, |
|
|
including agreements and programs described by Sections 311.010(b) |
|
|
and (h), Tax Code, that the local government and the district |
|
|
consider necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes |
|
|
described by Subsection (e). |
|
|
(e) Money received by the district under this section may be |
|
|
used: |
|
|
(1) to provide a local match for the acquisition of |
|
|
right-of-way in the territory of the local government; [or] |
|
|
(2) for design, construction, operation, or |
|
|
maintenance of transportation facilities in the territory of the |
|
|
local government; or |
|
|
(3) for the local government's proportionate share of |
|
|
the cost of the design, construction, operation, or maintenance of |
|
|
transportation facilities that serve other areas of the district in |
|
|
addition to the territory of the local government. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |