Honorable Joseph Pickett, Chair, House Committee on Transportation
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3302 by Darby (Relating to highway landscaping projects.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to establish guidelines for highway landscaping on state rights of way that require the use of native or regionally appropriate plants The bill would require TxDOT to allocate funds to the applicable districts for landscaping improvements for each highway project with a cost of $5 million or more. The bill would limit the amount allocated for landscaping to 1 percent of the total amount to be spent under contract for projects under $50 million and one-half of one percent of the total amount to be spent under contract for projects of $50 million or more.
Based on the information provided by TxDOT, it is assumed any costs or duties associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.