Bill Text: TX HB981 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of local mobility credit programs.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-09 - No action taken in committee [HB981 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB981-Introduced.html
82R5759 TRH-F | ||
By: Guillen | H.B. No. 981 |
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relating to the creation of local mobility credit programs. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, | ||
is amended by adding Section 201.622 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 201.622. LOCAL MOBILITY CREDIT PROGRAMS. (a) In this | ||
section: | ||
(1) "Excess local share credit" means an amount in | ||
excess of the local share requirement necessary for a federally | ||
financed project. The term includes: | ||
(A) qualified land value; and | ||
(B) transportation development credits, as | ||
described by 23 U.S.C. Section 120(j). | ||
(2) "Federally financed project" means a | ||
transportation project that is partially financed under a federal | ||
financing program for transportation projects. | ||
(3) "Local share requirement" means the minimum amount | ||
of money required of this state or a local entity in this state, as | ||
determined by commission rule, to match the amount of federal funds | ||
available for a federally financed project. | ||
(4) "Planning entity" means: | ||
(A) a metropolitan planning organization; | ||
(B) a rural planning organization; or | ||
(C) a department district for an area not served | ||
by a metropolitan planning organization or a rural planning | ||
organization. | ||
(5) "Qualified mobility project" means a project: | ||
(A) that meets all eligibility requirements | ||
under the applicable federal financing program; | ||
(B) for which all applicable preliminary | ||
engineering, environmental assessment, and right-of-way | ||
requirements have been fulfilled; | ||
(C) that is included in the statewide | ||
transportation improvement program and any applicable local | ||
transportation improvement plan; | ||
(D) that increases the capacity of highways, | ||
transit systems, and railroads to carry passengers and freight; and | ||
(E) that contributes to the air quality | ||
objectives of this state. | ||
(b) On approval by the commission, a planning entity may | ||
create a local mobility credit program. | ||
(c) A planning entity may: | ||
(1) accumulate excess local share credits in an | ||
account designated for use by the local mobility credit program; | ||
and | ||
(2) use the excess local share credits to fulfill the | ||
local share requirement for qualified mobility projects in the | ||
planning entity's jurisdiction. | ||
(d) Unless a local mobility credit program is reauthorized | ||
by the commission: | ||
(1) a planning organization may not authorize the use | ||
of credits under the program on or after the 10th anniversary of the | ||
date of the program's approval by the commission; and | ||
(2) the program expires when all authorized projects | ||
are completed. | ||
(e) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, | ||
the department shall submit to the legislature and the presiding | ||
officers of the standing committees of the senate and the house of | ||
representatives that have jurisdiction over issues related to | ||
transportation a report that details: | ||
(1) the use and success of local mobility credit | ||
programs in extending the department's authority to authorize | ||
project development; | ||
(2) the use of excess local share credits to | ||
facilitate transit improvements; | ||
(3) the success of local mobility credit programs in | ||
encouraging regional mobility strategies that maximize available | ||
local resources, including cash and land, to match available | ||
federal funding; and | ||
(4) the activities and recommendations of the | ||
rulemaking advisory committee created under Subsection (f). | ||
(f) The commission shall create and appoint not more than 11 | ||
members to a rulemaking advisory committee to consider and | ||
recommend to the commission appropriate rules to administer local | ||
mobility credit programs created under this section. The committee | ||
may be composed of representatives of: | ||
(1) metropolitan planning organizations; | ||
(2) rural planning organizations; and | ||
(3) the United States Department of Transportation | ||
Federal Highway Administration. | ||
(g) This subsection and Subsection (f) expire August 31, | ||
2015. | ||
SECTION 2. (a) Not later than the 60th day after the | ||
effective date of this Act, the Texas Transportation Commission | ||
shall appoint members to the rulemaking advisory committee created | ||
under Section 201.622(f), Transportation Code, as added by this | ||
Act. As soon as practicable after the committee's creation, the | ||
committee shall recommend rules to the Texas Transportation | ||
Commission. | ||
(b) Not later than the 90th day after the date the | ||
rulemaking advisory committee recommends rules under Subsection | ||
(a) of this section, the Texas Transportation Commission shall | ||
propose rules for the administration of local mobility credit | ||
programs created under Section 201.622, Transportation Code, as | ||
added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. 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, 2011. |