89R15432 AJZ-D

By: Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 3332

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation of the Maverick County 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. MAVERICK COUNTY REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY

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

Sec. 370.452. NATURE OF AUTHORITY. (a) The Maverick County 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 Maverick County Regional Mobility Authority.

Sec. 370.453. CONFLICTS WITH OTHER LAW. 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 Maverick County Regional Mobility Authority initially includes Maverick County.

(b) A county may be added to or withdrawn from the Maverick County Regional Mobility Authority in the manner provided by Section 370.0315.

Sec. 370.455. BOARD OF DIRECTORS; TERMS. (a) The governing body of the Maverick County Regional Mobility Authority is a board of directors consisting of three directors appointed by the Commissioners Court of Maverick County.

(b) The commissioners court of each county that is added to the Maverick County Regional Mobility Authority shall appoint a number of additional directors to the board determined by agreement of the member counties to ensure fair representation of political subdivisions in the member counties.

(c) The board shall elect a director representing Maverick County as the presiding officer. A director may not serve as presiding officer for more than two consecutive years.

(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 term of one of the directors expires February 1, 2027, and the terms of two of the directors expire February 1, 2028.

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

(c) This section expires September 1, 2028.

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;

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

(3) a county that has a population of more than 190,000 and not more than 1.5 million that is coterminous with a regional mobility authority; and

(4) a member county of the Maverick County Regional Mobility Authority, as established under Subchapter L, Chapter 370.

(b-1) The commissioners court of a county described by Subsection (a)(1), (2), or (3) [(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, 2026, but only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, to authorize the legislature to create a regional mobility authority by local law is approved by the voters. If that amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.