1 / 22

Transit-Related Legislation

Transit-Related Legislation. Ben Herr Executive Director, Texas Transit Association. Legislative Session. 80 th Legislature Regular Session January 9 – May 28, 2007. Legislative Session. Total Number of Bills Filed: In the House: 4105 In the Senate: 2023

parvani-gautam
Download Presentation

Transit-Related Legislation

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Transit-Related Legislation Ben Herr Executive Director, Texas Transit Association

  2. Legislative Session • 80th Legislature Regular Session • January 9 – May 28, 2007

  3. Legislative Session • Total Number of Bills Filed: • In the House: 4105 • In the Senate: 2023 • Transit-related bills we have been tracking: 68

  4. Key Transit Bills To Watch…

  5. The Money Bill…

  6. HB 1 and SB 1 • Funds for public transportation • Increase funding to the Department of Transportation by: • $40 million each year ($80 million per biennium) out of the State Highway Fund • $5 million each year ($10 million per biennium) out of the General Revenue Fund • Total of $45 million each year ($90 million per biennium) • Senate Version Approved: $4.9 million per biennium

  7. Commuter Rail District In The Valley HB 2510 Martinez

  8. HB 2510 Martinez • Relating to the creation of commuter rail districts • the creation, administration, powers, duties, operations, and financing of a commuter rail district • granting the authority to issue bonds; granting the power of eminent domain Representative Martinez (Hidalgo)

  9. HB 2510 Martinez

  10. SB 1088 Shapiro Texas Mobility Fund

  11. SB 1088 Shapiro • Relating to the use of the money in the Texas Mobility Fund for mass transit projects • Companion: HB 2987 Hill • (1) Requires that the comptroller use the money dedicated to mass transit projects to make grants to municipalities to finance mass transit projects that the comptroller determines will be best for the state • (2) A municipality receiving a grant may use the money directly or deliver the money to another governmental entity Senator Shapiro (Plano)

  12. SB 1088 Shapiro • (3) Money from a grant may be used only to finance capital costs of a project, including debt service for debt financing of capital costs, and may not be used to pay operating costs or to finance a project of a regional mobility authority • (4) To be eligible to receive a grant, municipalities must match the amount sought • (5) The comptroller shall administer the grant program, including determination of grant recipients, the amount and the manner of delivery of a grant, conditions on use of the grant, and other matters necessary to the operation of the grant program Senator Shapiro (Plano)

  13. HB 3962 Castro Funds for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

  14. HB 3962 Castro • Relating to an optional county fee on registration of a vehicle to fund facilities enhancing pedestrian and bicycle safety • The commissioners court of a county by order may impose an additional fee, not to exceed $10, for registering a vehicle in the county. Representative Castro (San Antonio)

  15. SB 132 Wentworth Bus-only Lane Program

  16. SB 132 Wentworth • A motor bus-only lane program • Shoulders would be used as low-speed passing lanes during peak traffic times Senator Wentworth (San Antonio)

  17. SB 132 Wentworth • Established and operated on state highways with sufficient shoulder widths • Max. speed limit 55 mph

  18. SB 257 Carona Removing The Tax Cap

  19. SB 257 Carona • Relating to limitations on the combined rates of transit and other local sales and use taxes • All municipalities would now qualify to be able to adopt/repeal a sales tax • Currently, combined rate of all sales & use taxes cannot exceed 2%; • With this bill transit sales and use taxes would not be included in that 2% cap Senator Carona (Dallas)

  20. SB 1089 Shapiro Spending Tax Revenue On Mass Transit Facilities

  21. SB 1089 Shapiro • Relating to the authority of certain development corporations to spend tax revenue on certain mass transit-related facilities • A corporation created under Section 4A or 4B of The Development Corporation Act of 1979 (Article 5190.6, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) may, as authorized by the corporation's board of directors, spend tax revenue received under this Act for the development, improvement, expansion, or maintenance of facilities relating to the operation of commuter rail, light rail, or motor buses. Senator Shapiro (Plano)

  22. Thank you

More Related