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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to five-year signature transportation projects of the |
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Texas Department of Transportation. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 201.623 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 201.623. FIVE-YEAR SIGNATURE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. |
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(a) The department shall designate as a five-year signature |
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transportation project: |
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(1) one transportation project that will be completed |
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not later than August 31, 2020; and |
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(2) one transportation project that will: |
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(A) begin no earlier than the completion of the |
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project designated under Subdivision (1); and |
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(B) be completed not later than the earlier of |
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five years after the date the project began or August 31, 2025. |
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(b) A five-year signature transportation project designated |
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under Subsection (a): |
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(1) must be given priority for department resources, |
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including available funding and staff time, over other department |
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projects; |
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(2) must use existing rights-of-way; |
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(3) may not contain any form of tolls or managed lanes; |
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(4) may not be financed through the issuance of debt; |
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and |
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(5) must directly impact not less than 20 percent of |
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department districts. |
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(c) The department shall work with the federal government to |
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obtain all necessary approvals or waivers of required approvals in |
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order to ensure that each five-year signature transportation |
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project is complete by the deadlines described by Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2015. |