BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3849

By: Canales

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that transportation leaders have questioned why the Texas Transportation Commission has not focused funding on border security infrastructure and creating stronger international trade routes. The United States and Mexico share 1,954 miles of common border, of which Texas and Mexico accounts for 1,254 miles. According to the Texas-Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan Executive Summary from the Texas Department of Transportation, trade through the Texas-Mexico border helps support over seven million jobs in the United States and Mexico, and the Texas-Mexico border region generates more than $350 billion in GDP annually as of 2019. The executive summary also indicates that trade through the Texas-Mexico border quadrupled from $111 billion to $451 billion between 1994 and 2019 and 68 percent of trade between the United States and Mexico passes through the Texas-Mexico border. Currently, the unified transportation program does not require a distinct program category dedicated solely to projects that enhance border security or improve the flow of international trade. H.B. 3849 requires the Texas Transportation Commission to include a category for projects related to improving border security and establishing international trade corridors in the project categories under the unified transportation program.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Transportation Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3849 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Transportation Commission by rule to include a category for projects related to improving border security and establishing international trade corridors in the project categories under the unified transportation program. The bill requires the projects assigned to this category to do the following:

· provide greater security in the movement of goods or enhance the flow of goods from an international border crossing onto the state highway system; or

· mitigate congestion affecting airports, railroad crossings, or other transportation infrastructure located within 60 miles of an international border crossing.

The bill conditions the initial implementation of a category required by law to be included in that program's project categories on the legislature making a specific appropriation for the purpose of implementing the category.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.