HBA-DMH S.B. 465 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 465 By: Shapleigh Transportation 5/18/2001 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Port authorities across the United States build and operate infrastructure, reduce time-consuming procedural activities, and expedite commerce. A border port authority along the Texas-Mexico border would facilitate the transportation and movement of goods resulting from increased business activity generated by the North American Free Trade Agreement. A border port authority would be able to set up a cooperative arrangement between the United States and Mexico to allocate resources and maintain revenue in the border region to fund critical infrastructure needs. This may expedite the movement of traffic across international bridges and reduce congestion by consolidating the activities of several agencies in a single entity. Increased efficiency may also help attract additional business to the competitive border region. Senate Bill 465 requires the Texas Department of Transportation to establish a Border Port of Entry Authority Task Force to study the viability of creating a border port of entry authority to facilitate transportation and movement of goods through El Paso County. 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 Senate Bill 465 requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to establish a Border Port of Entry Authority Task Force (task force) to study the viability of creating border port of entry authorities to facilitate the transportation and other movement of goods through El Paso County. The bill sets forth the composition of the task force. The bill requires TxDOT to provide the staff necessary to assist the task force in performing its duties. A task force member is not entitled to compensation, and each entity with a member on the task force is responsible for that member's expenses. In studying the viability of creating authorities, the bill requires the task force to study and consider the procedures used to create an authority, the jurisdiction of an authority, the various potential powers and responsibilities of an authority, and sources of revenue for an authority. In conducting its study, the bill requires the task force to consult with TxDOT and each metropolitan planning organization whose planning area includes a portion of El Paso County. The bill requires TxDOT to prepare a report of the findings and recommendations of the task force and authorizes TxDOT to include its own recommendations in the report. The bill authorizes TxDOT to contract with a private entity or a university to prepare the report and requires TxDOT, not later than January 15, 2003, to submit the report to the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives. The provisions regarding state agency advisory committees do not apply to the task force. The task force is abolished and the provisions of the bill expire January 15, 2003. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Committee Amendment No. 1 modifies the composition of the Border Port of Entry Authority Task Force (task force) by reducing from four to three the number of appointed members representing the city of El Paso and the number of appointed members representing the county of El Paso. The amendment adds to the task force three members approved by the Transportation Policy Board of the El Paso region and provides that the one appointed member representing the Texas Department of Transportation is a nonvoting member.