Bill Text: TX HB1079 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled

Texas House Bill 1079 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor, including an evaluation of the feasibility of certain improvements to Interstate Highway 27.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 6-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-10 - Effective immediately [HB1079 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB1079-Enrolled.html



	H.B. No. 1079




	AN ACT
	relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation of the
	Ports-to-Plains Corridor, including an evaluation of the
	feasibility of certain improvements to Interstate Highway 27.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. (a) In this Act:
	(1) "Advisory committee" means the Ports-to-Plains
	Advisory Committee established under this section.
	(2) "Department" means the Texas Department of
	Transportation.
	(3) "Improvement" has the meaning assigned by Section
	221.001, Transportation Code.
	(4) "Port of entry" has the meaning assigned by
	Section 621.001, Transportation Code.
	(5) "Ports-to-Plains Corridor" means the highways
	designated as the Ports-to-Plains Corridor under Section 225.069,
	Transportation Code.
	(b) The department shall conduct a comprehensive study of
	the Ports-to-Plains Corridor. The study must evaluate the
	feasibility of, and the costs and logistical matters associated
	with, improvements that create a continuous flow, four-lane divided
	highway that meets interstate highway standards to the extent
	possible, including improvements that:
	(1) extend Interstate Highway 27:
	(A) from its southern terminus to Interstate
	Highway 20;
	(B) from Interstate Highway 20 to Interstate
	Highway 10; and
	(C) from Interstate Highway 10 to the port of
	entry located in Laredo;
	(2) extend Interstate Highway 27:
	(A) from its northern terminus to Dumas;
	(B) from Dumas to Stratford; and
	(C) from Stratford to the Oklahoma state border;
	and
	(3) extend Interstate Highway 27:
	(A) from its northern terminus to Dumas;
	(B) from Dumas to Dalhart; and
	(C) from Dalhart to the New Mexico state border.
	(c) In conducting the study under Subsection (b) of this
	section, the department shall:
	(1) use the reports submitted to the department by the
	advisory committee under Subsection (j) of this section; and
	(2) hold quarterly public meetings on a rotational
	basis in Amarillo, Laredo, Lubbock, and San Angelo to gather public
	feedback on improvements or expansions to the Ports-to-Plains
	Corridor.
	(d) The department shall establish a Ports-to-Plains
	Advisory Committee to assist the department in conducting the study
	under Subsection (b) of this section.
	(e) The advisory committee is composed of:
	(1) the county judge, or an elected county official or
	the administrator of the county's road department, as designated by
	the county judge, of each county along the Ports-to-Plains
	Corridor, including the counties along the possible extensions of
	Interstate Highway 27 described by Subsection (b) of this section;
	and
	(2) the mayor, or the city manager or assistant city
	manager, as designated by the mayor, of Amarillo, Big Spring,
	Carrizo Springs, Dalhart, Del Rio, Dumas, Eagle Pass, Eldorado,
	Lamesa, Laredo, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Sonora,
	Sterling City, Stratford, and Tahoka.
	(f) The advisory committee shall meet at least twice each
	year on a rotational basis in Lubbock and San Angelo.
	(g) The department, in conjunction with the advisory
	committee, shall establish segment committees for each geographic
	segment along the Ports-to-Plains Corridor as determined by the
	department. The segment committees are composed of:
	(1) volunteers who may represent:
	(A) municipalities, counties, metropolitan
	planning organizations, ports, chambers of commerce, and economic
	development organizations along that segment of the
	Ports-to-Plains Corridor;
	(B) the oil and gas industry; and
	(C) the trucking industry;
	(2) department representatives; and
	(3) any other interested parties.
	(h) A segment committee established under Subsection (g) of
	this section for a segment along the Ports-to-Plains Corridor shall
	submit a report to the advisory committee providing input for the
	study conducted by the department under Subsection (b) of this
	section. The report must include:
	(1) an examination of the ability of the energy
	industry to transport products to market;
	(2) an evaluation of the economic development impacts
	of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor, including whether the improvement
	or expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor would create
	employment opportunities in this state;
	(3) a determination of whether improvements or
	expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor would relieve traffic
	congestion in the segment;
	(4) an examination of freight movement along the
	Ports-to-Plains Corridor;
	(5) a determination and prioritization of
	improvements and expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor that are
	warranted in order to promote safety and mobility, while maximizing
	the use of existing highways to the greatest extent possible and
	striving to protect private property as much as possible;
	(6) a determination of the areas that are preferable
	and suitable for interstate designation;
	(7) an examination of project costs related to the
	improvement or expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor; and
	(8) an assessment of federal, state, local, and
	private funding sources for a project improving or expanding the
	Ports-to-Plains Corridor.
	(i) Not later than June 30, 2020, each segment committee
	established under Subsection (g) of this section shall submit to
	the advisory committee the report described by Subsection (h) of
	this section, including priority recommendations for improvement
	and expansion of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor.
	(j) Not later than October 31, 2020, the advisory committee
	shall review and compile the reports submitted by each segment
	committee under Subsection (i) of this section and submit to the
	department:
	(1) the reports submitted by each segment committee;
	and
	(2) a summary and any recommendations based on those
	reports.
	(k) The advisory committee and each segment committee shall
	conduct extensive public involvement campaigns for feedback on
	preliminary recommendations made by the committees before
	submitting the reports under Subsections (i) and (j) of this
	section.
	(l) Not later than January 1, 2021, the department shall
	submit a report on the results of the study conducted under
	Subsection (b) of this section to the governor, the lieutenant
	governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
	presiding officer of each standing committee of the legislature
	with jurisdiction over transportation matters.
	(m) This Act expires August 31, 2021.
	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2019.


	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House


	I certify that H.B. No. 1079 was passed by the House on April
	24, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 1, 2 present, not
	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
	No. 1079 on May 22, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 126, Nays 16,
	2 present, not voting.

	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House

	I certify that H.B. No. 1079 was passed by the Senate, with
	amendments, on May 15, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
	1.

	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date

	__________________
	Governor