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         (b)  A county may be added to or withdrawn from the Middle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.