By: Lozano H.B. No. 4483
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute
  regarding the economic impact of navigation districts on the state
  and local economies.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  (a) In this section, "institute" means the Texas
  A&M Transportation Institute.
         (b)  The institute, in consultation with the comptroller of
  public accounts and the standing committees of the legislature with
  primary jurisdiction over the institute, shall study each
  navigation district and municipal utility agency responsible for a
  ship channel with a federally authorized depth of at least 35 feet
  in this state.
         (c)  In conducting the study, the institute shall, for each
  navigation district and municipal utility agency:
               (1)  analyze the district's and agency's:
                     (A)  assessment of fees imposed by the district or
  agency;
                     (B)  cargoes and commodities;
                     (C)  navigation safety; and
                     (D)  primary expenditures; and
               (2)  collect the following information:
                     (A)  annual fee income;
                     (B)  consistency of fee income;
                     (C)  historical rate of growth in the previous 15
  years for fee income;
                     (D)  fee income sources;
                     (E)  expenditures based on the following
  categories:
                           (i)  labor for maintenance and operations;
                           (ii)  materials for maintenance and
  operations;
                           (iii)  materials for expansion projects;
                           (iv)  consumables;
                           (v)  cost overruns;
                           (vi)  utilities;
                           (vii)  capital expenditures;
                           (viii)  project expenditures; and
                           (ix)  operating expenditures;
                     (F)  direct economic impacts to the state and
  local economies from the district's or agency's activities;
                     (G)  projected economic growth over the next 10
  years;
                     (H)  an assessment of all import and export
  commodities; and
                     (I)  a comprehensive analysis of security and
  resiliency of cargoes, vessels, containers, and navigation.
         (d)  The institute shall disaggregate the data described by
  Subsection (c) of this section by county.
         (e)  Not later than December 1, 2024, the institute shall
  prepare a written report with the information described by this
  section, a summary of the institute's findings, and recommendations
  for legislative or other action and submit the report to the
  governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
  representatives, and the chairs of the committees of the
  legislature with primary jurisdiction over the institute.
         (f)  This section expires January 1, 2025.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.