By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1334

(In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2021; March 18, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation; April 15, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 15, 2021, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1334 By: Hinojosa

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the lease, rental, and donation to the United States of certain facilities relating to a toll bridge by certain counties and municipalities.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 364, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 364.005 to read as follows:

Sec. 364.005. LEASE, RENTAL, OR DONATION OF FACILITY TO UNITED STATES. (a) A county may 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 a county under this chapter.

(b) 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.

SECTION 2. Section 364.043(a), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A county, through the commissioners court, may issue, sell, and deliver negotiable bonds to accomplish the purposes of this chapter. The county may use the bonds or the proceeds of the sale of the bonds to acquire, construct, improve, enlarge, or equip in whole or in part a toll bridge or a related building, structure, or other facility under this chapter or may exchange the bonds for property to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.

SECTION 3. Section 367.012, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 367.012. PUBLIC PURPOSE. The acquisition, construction, improvement, enlargement, or equipment by a municipality 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 municipality 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 the federal facility relating to the toll bridge is located inside or outside the municipality.

SECTION 4. Section 367.013, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 367.013. LEASE, [OR] RENTAL, OR DONATION OF FACILITY TO UNITED STATES. A municipality may lease, [or] 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 under this subchapter.

SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies only to a bond issued on or after the effective date of this Act. A bond issued before the effective date of this Act is governed by the applicable law in effect before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.

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