BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1079
	By: Price et al. (Perry)
	Transportation
	5/6/2019
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

H.B. 1079

1) Directs Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to form a Ports-to-Plains Advisory Committee that is made up of:

a) the county judges (or his or her designee who must be another county elected official or the director of the unified county road department) of each county from along the entire corridor including the counties of the I-27 split north of Amarillo.

b) the mayors of Amarillo, Big Spring, Carrizo Springs, Crystal City, Del Rio, Dumas, Eagle Pass, El Dorado, Lamesa, Laredo, Lubbock, San Angelo, Sonora, Sterling City, Stratford, and Tahoka. (Mayors may designate their city manager or assistant city manager.) Shall convene twice a year on a rotational basis between Lubbock and San Angelo.

2) In conjunction with the Ports-to-Plains Advisory Committee, to establish Segment Committees comprised of citizen volunteers divided geographically that are made up of representatives from the cities, counties, MPOs, ports, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, oil and gas industry, the trucking industry, and any other relevant stakeholder, to consider, in conjunction with TxDOT representatives from the federally-designated Ports-to-Plains Corridor. Each Segment Committee establishes priority recommendations for the transportation needs in their area and report them to the Advisory Committee by December 31, 2020.

3) The Segment Committees will study the following:

� ability for energy sector to get products to market; economic development impacts of Trade Corridor; area congestion relief; freight movement; and economic development and job creation;

� determine and prioritize the improvements and expansions that are warranted in order to promote safety and mobility; maximize the use of existing highways to the greatest extent possible; and protect private property;

� determine the areas which are preferable and suitable for interstate designation and study project costs and assess state, federal, local, and private funding sources for project identified in the plan; and

� report their findings and recommendations to the Segment Committee.

4) Require TxDOT to conduct an origin and destination study for traffic flows along the entire Ports-to-Plains Corridor.

H.B. 1079 amends current law relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation of the feasibility of certain improvements to Interstate Highway 27.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. (a) Defines "improvement" and "port of entry" for purposes of this Act.

(b) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to conduct a comprehensive study of the feasibility of and the costs and logistical matters associated with improvements that:

(1) extend Interstate Highway 27:

(A) from its northern terminus to Dumas;

(B) from Dumas to Stratford; and

(C) from Stratford to the Oklahoma state border;

(2) extend Interstate Highway 27:

(A) from its northern terminus to Dumas;

(B) from Dumas to Dalhart; and

(C) from Dalhart to the New Mexico state border; and

(3) extend Interstate Highway 27:

(A) from its southern terminus to Interstate Highway 20;

(B) from Interstate Highway 20 to Interstate Highway 10; and

(C) from Interstate Highway 10 to the port of entry located in Laredo.

(c) Requires TxDOT, not later than January 1, 2021, to submit a report on the results of the study to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the presiding officer of each standing committee of the legislature with jurisdiction over transportation matters.

(d) Provides that this Act expires August 31, 2021.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.