HBA-CCH, JEK H.B. 1621 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1621 By: Coleman Urban Affairs 7/2/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Many Texans, primarily elderly, disabled, and low-income persons utilize public transportation as a means to travel around a city because they cannot or do not drive. This may underscore the need to build a more equitable and efficient public transportation system that meets the concerns and needs of all Texans, especially those at a transportation disadvantage. House Bill 1621 requires metropolitan, regional, and county rapid transit authorities to appoint at least one member on their boards who represents the transportation disadvantaged, and requires municipal transit departments to consider the interests of the transportation disadvantaged. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 1621 amends the Transportation Code to require a principal municipality to make its appointments to the following boards so that at least one of its appointees represents the interests of the transportation disadvantaged: _the governing board of a metropolitan rapid transit authority; _the subregional board of a regional transportation authority; _the governing board of a county mass transit authority. The bill requires the board of a municipal transit department to consider the interests of the transportation disadvantaged in making decisions. The bill includes the elderly, persons with disabilities, and low-income individuals in those who are transportation disadvantaged. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.