By: Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 4976

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation of the Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority; authorizing a fee.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 370, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Subchapter L to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER L. MIDDLE RIO GRANDE REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY

Sec. 370.451. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "member county" means a county located in the territory of the Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority.

Sec. 370.452. NATURE OF AUTHORITY. (a) The Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority is an authority organized under this chapter.

(b) A provision of this chapter that requires the commission to approve the creation of an authority does not apply to the Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority.

Sec. 370.453. CONFLICTS WITH OTHER SUBCHAPTERS. In the case of a conflict between this subchapter and other provisions of this chapter or other law governing regional mobility authorities, this subchapter controls.

Sec. 370.454. MEMBER COUNTIES. (a) The Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority initially includes the following counties:

(1) Dimmit County;

(2) Frio County;

(3) Kinney County;

(4) Maverick County;

(5) Uvalde County;

(6) Val Verde County; and

(7) Zavala County.

(b) A county may be added to or withdrawn from the Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority in the manner provided by Section 370.0315.

Sec. 370.455. BOARD OF DIRECTORS; TERMS. (a) The governing body of the Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority is a board of directors consisting of a representative of each member county.

(b) The commissioners court of each member county shall appoint one director to serve on the board.

(c) The board shall elect either the director representing Maverick County or the director representing Val Verde County as the presiding officer. A director may not serve as presiding officer for more than two consecutive years. If the director positions representing Maverick County and Val Verde County are vacant simultaneously, the board may choose a presiding officer representing another county.

(d) Directors serve two-year terms, with as near as possible to one-half of the directors' terms expiring on February 1 of each year.

Sec. 370.456. INITIAL DIRECTORS. (a) Of the initial directors, the terms of directors appointed to represent Dimmit County, Kinney County, Uvalde County, and Zavala County expire February 1, 2023, and the terms of directors appointed to represent the remaining member counties expire February 1, 2026.

(b) Section 370.455(d) does not apply to an initial director.

(c) This section expires September 1, 2027.

SECTION 2. Sections 502.402(a) and (b-1), Transportation Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) This section applies only to:

(1) a county that:

(A) borders the United Mexican States; and

(B) has a population of more than 250,000; [and]

(2) a county that has a population of more than 1.5 million that is coterminous with a regional mobility authority; and

(3) a member county of the Middle Rio Grande Regional Mobility Authority, as established under Subchapter L, Chapter 370.

(b-1) The commissioners court of a county described by Subsection (a)(1) or (2) [(a)] with a population of less than 700,000 may increase the additional fee to an amount that does not exceed $20 if approved by a majority of the qualified voters of the county voting on the issue at a referendum election, which the commissioners court may order and hold for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2024, but only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, to authorize the creation of a regional mobility authority by local law is approved by the voters. If that constitutional amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.