BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

C.S.S.B. 1522

85R17521 AAF-F

By: Nichols

 

Transportation

 

3/29/2017

 

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Texas Aviation Advisory Committee (AAC) provides input to the Texas Department of Transportations (TxDOT) on its aviation development programs and serves as its representative among aviation users. AAC members also work with members of the Texas Legislature on various aviation issues. Section 21.003, Transportation Code, provides that AAC consists of six members appointed by the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC). However, TTC and AAC feel that six members does not adequately represent the Texas aviation community. It is the opinion of TTC that AAC could enhance its effectiveness and increase the diversity of input with additional members from the general aviation population, while also representing a greater portion of the state's aviation community.

 

Additionally, TTC already has the authority to appoint more than six members to the Public Transportation Advisory Committee, with nine members, and the Port Authority Advisory Committee, with seven members. TTC also has the statutory authority to completely set the number of members on the Border Trade Advisory Committee. Allowing TTC to appoint more members to AAC, then, would bring AAC in line with how the membership of other TxDOT advisory committees are determined and appointed.

 

Therefore, S.B. 1522 seeks to remedy these issues by allowing TTC to set the number of members of AAC. Currently AAC has only six members but S.B. 1522 would allow TTC to add more members to the board as it sees fit. Also, the committee substitute requires that a majority of the members of AAC have five years' experience as an aircraft pilot, an aircraft facilities manager, or a fixed-base operator. S.B. 1522 resolves both the representation and organizational issues introduced above. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

 

C.S.S.B. 1522 amends current law relating to the composition of the aviation advisory committee.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Transportation Commission in� SECTION 1 (Section 21.003, Transportation Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 21.003(a) and (b), Transportation Code, as follows:

 

(a) Provides that the Texas Aviation Advisory Committee (AAC) consists of members appointed by the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC), rather than consists of six members, to advise TTC and the Texas Department of Transportation on aviation matters. Requires TTC, by rule, to determine the number of members of AAC.

 

(b) Requires a majority of the members of AAC to have five years of successful experience as an aircraft pilot, an aircraft facilities manager, or a fixed-base operator, rather than requiring a member of the committee to have such experience.�

 

SECTION 2. Requires TTC, not later than September 1, 2018, to adopt the rules required by Section 21.003(a), Transportation Code, as amended by this Act.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.