Amend CSSB 1420 (house committee report) as follows:
(1) On page 4, line 20, strike "debt portfolio" and substitute "loan portfolio".
(2) On page 4, strike lines 21-24 and substitute the following:
(2) financial forecasting of the department's revenues and expenditures;
(3) establishing and monitoring of the department's budget; and
(4) financial reporting on federal and state programs.
(3) Strike page 4, line 25, through page 5, line 4, and substitute the following:
(c) The chief financial officer shall certify each month that any state highway construction and maintenance contracts to be awarded by the department during that month will not create state liability that exceeds the department's most recent cash flow forecast.
(4) Add the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Section 201.209, Transportation Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(b) The department by rule shall adopt policies and procedures consistent with applicable state procurement practices for soliciting and awarding the contracts under Subsection (a) [this section].
(c) The department may contract with experts and consultants to assist the department:
(1) in matters involving debt management, comprehensive development agreements, regional mobility authorities, toll roads, or public-private partnerships; and
(2) in exploring other mechanisms to finance transportation projects.