BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1334

By: Hinojosa

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There have been calls to allow border communities who own international ports of entry to leverage their local dollars to strengthen the safety and economic impact of these ports. It has been suggested that statutory updates are needed to reflect the success of the donation assistance program, which allows municipalities to donate property, buildings, structures, or other facilities to the U.S. government to facilitate the safe movement of people and goods across the Texas‑Mexico border. Furthermore, there have been calls to provide the authority to counties harboring these communities to use bonds to construct and improve toll bridges and related facilities. S.B. 1334 seeks to address this issue by providing this authority and clarifying that the donation of property or facilities to the U.S. government is a proper county or municipal function under state law.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1334 amends the Transportation Code to authorize a county bordering the Rio Grande to use negotiable bonds or the proceeds of the sale of the bonds to construct, improve, enlarge, or equip in whole or in part a toll bridge or a related building, structure, or other facility. The bill authorizes the county to use those bonds or the sale of the bonds to acquire such a building.

S.B. 1334 authorizes the county to lease, rent, or donate to the United States property or a building, structure, or other facility acquired, constructed, improved, enlarged, or equipped in whole or in part with proceeds from the sale of bonds issued by the county. The acquisition, construction, improvement, enlargement, or equipment by a county of property or a building, structure, or other facility for lease to and the donation of property or a building, structure, or other facility by a county to the United States for use in performing a federal governmental function in the county or at or near and relating to a toll bridge of the county is a public purpose and proper county function, regardless of whether the toll bridge or the federal facility relating to the toll bridge is located inside or outside the county.

S.B. 1334 establishes that the donation of property or a building, structure, or other facility by a municipality whose boundaries are within 15 miles of a section of the Rio Grande that forms the border between Texas and Mexico to the United States for use in performing a federal governmental function in the municipality or at or near and relating to a toll bridge of the municipality is a public purpose and a proper municipal function, regardless of whether the toll bridge or facility is located inside or outside the municipality. The bill authorizes such a municipality to donate to the United States property or a facility that is acquired, constructed, improved, enlarged, or equipped with proceeds from the sale of bonds issued for purposes relating to a toll bridge.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.