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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 A&M Transportation Institute |
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regarding the economic impact of navigation districts on the state |
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and local economies. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "institute" means the Texas |
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A&M Transportation Institute. |
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(b) The institute, in consultation with the comptroller of |
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public accounts and the standing committees of the legislature with |
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primary jurisdiction over the institute, shall study each |
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navigation district and municipal utility agency responsible for a |
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ship channel with a federally authorized depth of at least 35 feet |
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in this state. |
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(c) In conducting the study, the institute shall, for each |
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navigation district and municipal utility agency: |
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(1) analyze the district's and agency's: |
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(A) assessment of fees imposed by the district or |
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agency; |
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(B) cargoes and commodities; |
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(C) navigation safety; and |
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(D) primary expenditures; and |
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(2) collect the following information: |
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(A) annual fee income; |
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(B) consistency of fee income; |
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(C) historical rate of growth in the previous 15 |
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years for fee income; |
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(D) fee income sources; |
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(E) expenditures based on the following |
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categories: |
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(i) labor for maintenance and operations; |
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(ii) materials for maintenance and |
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operations; |
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(iii) materials for expansion projects; |
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(iv) consumables; |
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(v) cost overruns; |
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(vi) utilities; |
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(vii) capital expenditures; |
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(viii) project expenditures; and |
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(ix) operating expenditures; |
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(F) direct economic impacts to the state and |
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local economies from the district's or agency's activities; |
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(G) projected economic growth over the next 10 |
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years; |
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(H) an assessment of all import and export |
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commodities; and |
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(I) a comprehensive analysis of security and |
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resiliency of cargoes, vessels, containers, and navigation. |
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(d) The institute shall disaggregate the data described by |
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Subsection (c) of this section by county. |
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(e) Not later than December 1, 2024, the institute shall |
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prepare a written report with the information described by this |
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section, a summary of the institute's findings, and recommendations |
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for legislative or other action and submit the report to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and the chairs of the committees of the |
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legislature with primary jurisdiction over the institute. |
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(f) This section expires January 1, 2025. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |