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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the development of certain local government |
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transportation infrastructure projects. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 172.001, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by adding Subdivision (4-a) and amending Subdivision (7) to read as |
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follows: |
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(4-a) "Intelligent transportation system" means: |
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(A) innovative or intelligent technological |
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transportation systems, infrastructure, or facilities, including |
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elevated freight transportation facilities: |
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(i) in proximity to, or within, an existing |
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right-of-way on the state highway system; or |
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(ii) that connect land ports of entry to the |
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state highway system; |
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(B) communications or information processing |
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systems that improve the efficiency, security, or safety of freight |
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movement on the state highway system, including improving the |
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conveyance of freight on dedicated intelligent freight lanes; or |
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(C) a transportation facility or system that |
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increases truck freight efficiencies in the boundaries of an |
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intermodal facility or hub. |
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(7) "Rail facilities" means: |
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(A) passenger or freight rail facilities, |
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including: |
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(i) tracks; |
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(ii) a rail line; |
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(iii) switching, signaling, or other |
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operating equipment; |
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(iv) a depot; |
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(v) a locomotive; |
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(vi) rolling stock; |
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(vii) a maintenance facility; and |
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(viii) other real and personal property |
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associated with a rail operation; |
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(B) an intermodal hub; |
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(C) an automated conveyor belt for the movement |
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of freight; |
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(D) an intelligent transportation system that |
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operates with or as part of facilities described by Paragraphs |
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(A)-(C); or |
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(E) a system of facilities described by |
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Paragraphs (A)-(D) [property, or an interest in that property, that
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the board determines is necessary or convenient to provide a rural
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rail transportation system; and
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[(B)
property or an interest necessary or
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convenient to acquire, provide, construct, enlarge, remodel,
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renovate, improve, furnish, use, or equip the system, including:
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[(i) a right-of-way;
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[(ii)
an earthwork or structure, including
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clearing and grubbing of right-of-way, demolition of a structure,
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relocation of utilities, a pipeline, or any other obstacle in a
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right-of-way, stripping and stockpiling, removal of subsoil for
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embankment or spoil, a borrow pit, dressing and seeding of a slope,
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construction of a culvert, a road crossing, a bridge, restoration
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of a roadway, drainage within a right-of-way or along a road
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network, and restoration of a hydrologic system;
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[(iii) trackwork;
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[(iv)
a train control, including
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signalling, interlocking equipment, speed monitoring equipment, an
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emergency braking system, a central traffic control facility, and a
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communication system;
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[(v)
a passenger or freight service
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building, terminal, or station, a ticketing facility, a waiting
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area, a platform, a concession, an elevator, an escalator, a
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facility for handicapped access, an access road, a parking facility
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for passengers, a baggage handling facility, a local maintenance
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facility, and offices for district purposes and includes an
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interest in real property necessary or convenient for an item
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listed under this subparagraph;
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[(vi) rolling stock; and
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[(vii) a maintenance facility]. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 172, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 172.211 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 172.211. REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY AND OTHER POWERS |
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OF COUNTY, DISTRICT, AND NAVIGATION DISTRICT. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Authority" means a regional mobility authority |
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under Chapter 370. |
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(2) "Transportation project" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 370.003. |
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(b) A county that is part of a district, acting through the |
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commissioners court or a local government corporation, may adopt an |
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order authorizing the exercise of the powers of an authority |
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without state approval, supervision, or regulation. |
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(c) On adoption of an order under Subsection (b), the county |
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and a navigation district located wholly in the county may: |
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(1) exercise the powers of an authority; |
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(2) develop a rail facility project as a qualifying |
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project under Chapter 2267, Government Code; |
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(3) on or before August 31, 2021, enter into |
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comprehensive development agreements for transportation projects, |
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using the process described by Sections 370.306 and 370.307; and |
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(4) issue bonds for transportation projects secured by |
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a pledge of the revenues of the project, including contract |
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revenue, grant revenue, or other revenue collected in connection |
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with the project. |
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(d) If each county that is part of a district adopts an order |
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described by Subsection (b), the district may exercise the powers |
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described by Subsection (c). |
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SECTION 3. Section 222.107(c), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(c) The commissioners court of the county, after |
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determining that an area is unproductive and underdeveloped and |
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that action under this section would further the purposes described |
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by Section 222.105, by order or resolution may designate a |
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contiguous geographic area in the jurisdiction of the county to be a |
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transportation reinvestment zone to promote one or more |
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transportation projects. A county may designate the transportation |
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reinvestment zone to be coterminous with or otherwise include a |
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county assistance district created by the county under Chapter 387, |
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Local Government Code. |
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SECTION 4. Sections 222.110(a) and (b), Transportation |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Sales tax base" for a transportation reinvestment |
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zone means the amount of sales and use taxes imposed by a |
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municipality under Section 321.101(a), Tax Code, or by a county |
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under Chapter 323, Tax Code, including sales and use taxes imposed |
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by a county assistance district created by the county under Chapter |
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387, Local Government Code, as applicable, attributable to the zone |
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for the year in which the zone was designated under this chapter. |
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(2) "Transportation reinvestment zone" includes a |
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county energy transportation reinvestment zone. |
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(b) The governing body of a municipality or county may |
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determine, in an ordinance or order designating an area as a |
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transportation reinvestment zone or in an ordinance or order |
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adopted subsequent to the designation of a zone, the portion or |
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amount of tax increment generated from the sales and use taxes |
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imposed by a municipality under Section 321.101(a), Tax Code, or by |
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a county under Chapter 323, Tax Code, including sales and use taxes |
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imposed by a county assistance district created by the county under |
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Chapter 387, Local Government Code, attributable to the zone, above |
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the sales tax base, to be used as provided by Subsection |
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(e). Nothing in this section requires a municipality or county to |
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contribute sales tax increment under this subsection. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |