HBA-LCA H.B. 2178 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2178
By: Woolley
Urban Affairs
3/30/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) has
nine directors on its board.  Five are appointed by the mayor of the City
of Houston and confirmed by the city council, two are appointed by the
Harris County judge, and two are appointed by the mayors of the other
cities in METRO's service area.  Additionally, current law does not allow
Harris County METRO to use member unit withdrawal provisions contained in
the Transportation Code. 

H.B. 2178 provides for the new composition of the METRO governing board,
and also amends the Transportation Code to include Harris County in the
member use withdrawal provisions. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 451.501(g), Transportation Code, to provide that
this section (Board Membership) does not apply to the board of transit
authority (authority) described by Section 451.5022(a), Transportation
Code, as added by this Act. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Sections 451.502(a) and (f), Transportation Code, to
make conforming changes. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Subchapter K, Chapter 451, Transportation Code, by
adding Section 451.5022, as follows: 

Sec. 451.5022.  BOARD COMPENSATION; AUTHORITY HAVING A PRINCIPAL
MUNICIPALITY WITH  A POPULATION A GREATER THAN 1.2 MILLION.  (a) Provides
that this section applies only to the board of a transit authority
(authority) having a principal municipality with a population of more than
1.2  million. 

(b)  Sets forth the composition of a nine-member board, as follows:

_four members appointed by the mayor of the principal municipality and who
are subject to confirmation by the governing body of the principal
municipality; 

_three  members appointed by the commissioners court of the principal
county; and  

_two  members appointed by a panel, composed of mayors and county judges of
municipalities in the authority but excluding the mayor of the principal
municipality and the county judge of the principal county in the authority. 

(c)  Defines "principal county" in this section.

 SECTION 4.  Amends Section 451.602, Transportation Code, to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 5. Provides that this section applies only to an authority governed
by a board to which Section 451.5022 applies. Makes application of this Act
prospective. 

SECTION 6. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.