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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation of the |
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Ports-to-Plains Corridor, including an evaluation of the |
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feasibility of certain improvements to Interstate Highway 27. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this Act: |
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(1) "Advisory committee" means the Ports-to-Plains |
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Advisory Committee established under this section. |
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(2) "Department" means the Texas Department of |
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Transportation. |
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(3) "Improvement" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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221.001, Transportation Code. |
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(4) "Port of entry" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 621.001, Transportation Code. |
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(5) "Ports-to-Plains Corridor" means the highways |
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designated as the Ports-to-Plains Corridor under Section 225.069, |
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Transportation Code. |
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(b) The department shall conduct a comprehensive study of |
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the Ports-to-Plains Corridor. The study must evaluate the |
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feasibility of, and the costs and logistical matters associated |
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with, improvements that create a continuous flow, four-lane divided |
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highway that meets interstate highway standards to the extent |
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possible, including improvements that: |
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(1) extend Interstate Highway 27: |
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(A) from its southern terminus to Interstate |
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Highway 20; |
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(B) from Interstate Highway 20 to Interstate |
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Highway 10; and |
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(C) from Interstate Highway 10 to the port of |
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entry located in Laredo; |
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(2) extend Interstate Highway 27: |
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(A) from its northern terminus to Dumas; |
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(B) from Dumas to Stratford; and |
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(C) from Stratford to the Oklahoma state border; |
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and |
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(3) extend Interstate Highway 27: |
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(A) from its northern terminus to Dumas; |
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(B) from Dumas to Dalhart; and |
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(C) from Dalhart to the New Mexico state border. |
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(c) In conducting the study under Subsection (b) of this |
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section, the department shall: |
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(1) use the reports submitted to the department by the |
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advisory committee under Subsection (j) of this section; and |
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(2) hold quarterly public meetings on a rotational |
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basis in Amarillo, Laredo, Lubbock, and San Angelo to gather public |
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feedback on improvements or expansions to the Ports-to-Plains |
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Corridor. |
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(d) The department shall establish a Ports-to-Plains |
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Advisory Committee to assist the department in conducting the study |
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under Subsection (b) of this section. |
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(e) The advisory committee is composed of: |
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(1) the county judge, or an elected county official or |
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the administrator of the county's road department, as designated by |
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the county judge, of each county along the Ports-to-Plains |
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Corridor, including the counties along the possible extensions of |
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Interstate Highway 27 described by Subsection (b) of this section; |
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and |
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(2) the mayor, or the city manager or assistant city |
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manager, as designated by the mayor, of Amarillo, Big Spring, |
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Carrizo Springs, Dalhart, Del Rio, Dumas, Eagle Pass, Eldorado, |
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Lamesa, Laredo, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Sonora, |
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Sterling City, Stratford, and Tahoka. |
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(f) The advisory committee shall meet at least twice each |
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year on a rotational basis in Lubbock and San Angelo. |
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(g) The department, in conjunction with the advisory |
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committee, shall establish segment committees for each geographic |
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segment along the Ports-to-Plains Corridor as determined by the |
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department. The segment committees are composed of: |
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(1) volunteers who may represent: |
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(A) municipalities, counties, metropolitan |
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planning organizations, ports, chambers of commerce, and economic |
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development organizations along that segment of the |
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Ports-to-Plains Corridor; |
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(B) the oil and gas industry; and |
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(C) the trucking industry; |
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(2) department representatives; and |
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(3) any other interested parties. |
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(h) A segment committee established under Subsection (g) of |
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this section for a segment along the Ports-to-Plains Corridor shall |
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submit a report to the advisory committee providing input for the |
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study conducted by the department under Subsection (b) of this |
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section. The report must include: |
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(1) an examination of the ability of the energy |
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industry to transport products to market; |
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(2) an evaluation of the economic development impacts |
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of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor, including whether the improvement |
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or expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor would create |
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employment opportunities in this state; |
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(3) a determination of whether improvements or |
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expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor would relieve traffic |
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congestion in the segment; |
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(4) an examination of freight movement along the |
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Ports-to-Plains Corridor; |
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(5) a determination and prioritization of |
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improvements and expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor that are |
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warranted in order to promote safety and mobility, while maximizing |
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the use of existing highways to the greatest extent possible and |
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striving to protect private property as much as possible; |
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(6) a determination of the areas that are preferable |
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and suitable for interstate designation; |
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(7) an examination of project costs related to the |
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improvement or expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor; and |
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(8) an assessment of federal, state, local, and |
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private funding sources for a project improving or expanding the |
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Ports-to-Plains Corridor. |
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(i) Not later than June 30, 2020, each segment committee |
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established under Subsection (g) of this section shall submit to |
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the advisory committee the report described by Subsection (h) of |
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this section, including priority recommendations for improvement |
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and expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor. |
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(j) Not later than October 31, 2020, the advisory committee |
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shall review and compile the reports submitted by each segment |
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committee under Subsection (i) of this section and submit to the |
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department: |
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(1) the reports submitted by each segment committee; |
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and |
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(2) a summary and any recommendations based on those |
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reports. |
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(k) The advisory committee and each segment committee shall |
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conduct extensive public involvement campaigns for feedback on |
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preliminary recommendations made by the committees before |
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submitting the reports under Subsections (i) and (j) of this |
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section. |
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(l) Not later than January 1, 2021, the department shall |
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submit a report on the results of the study conducted under |
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Subsection (b) of this section to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the |
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presiding officer of each standing committee of the legislature |
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with jurisdiction over transportation matters. |
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(m) This Act expires August 31, 2021. |
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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, 2019. |
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