Bill Text: TX HB3851 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the enhancement of Texas maritime ports for expanded service to international marine freight and passenger markets.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-21 - Referred to International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs [HB3851 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB3851-Introduced.html
By: Anchia | H.B. No. 3851 |
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relating to the enhancement of Texas maritime ports for expanded | ||
service to international marine freight and passenger markets. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 55, Transportation Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 55.002. PORT DEVELOPMENT FUNDING. (a) From money in | ||
the fund, the department shall fund: | ||
(1) port security, transportation, or facility | ||
projects; and | ||
(2) maritime port studies. | ||
(b) The commission by rule may establish matching fund | ||
requirements for receiving money from the fund. | ||
(c) Port security, transportation, or facility projects | ||
eligible for funding under this chapter include: | ||
(1) construction or improvement of transportation | ||
facilities within the jurisdiction of a maritime port; | ||
(2) the dredging or deepening of channels, turning | ||
basins, or harbors; | ||
(3) the construction or improvement of wharves, docks, | ||
structures, jetties, piers, storage facilities, cruise terminals, | ||
or any facilities necessary or useful in connection with maritime | ||
port transportation or economic development; | ||
(4) the construction or improvement of facilities | ||
necessary or useful in providing maritime port security; | ||
(5) the acquisition of container cranes or other | ||
mechanized equipment used in the movement of cargo or passengers in | ||
international commerce; | ||
(6) the acquisition of land to be used for maritime | ||
port purposes; | ||
(7) the acquisition, improvement, enlargement, or | ||
extension of existing maritime port facilities; and | ||
(8) environmental protection projects that: | ||
(A) are required as a condition of a state, | ||
federal, or local environmental permit or other form of approval; | ||
(B) are necessary for the acquisition of spoil | ||
disposal sites and improvements to existing and future spoil sites; | ||
or | ||
(C) result from the undertaking of eligible | ||
projects. | ||
(d) The department, in consultation with the committee, | ||
shall review the list of projects recommended by the committee to | ||
evaluate the economic benefit of each project. The commission, | ||
after receiving recommendations from the committee and from the | ||
department, shall approve projects or studies for funding based on | ||
its review. | ||
(d-1) For any project with a potential cost exceeding | ||
$1,000,000, the department, in consultation with the committee, | ||
shall review its impact upon the ports competitiveness in the | ||
international marketplace, as a factor in ranking the project for | ||
priority funding. | ||
(d-2) For any project with a potential cost exceeding | ||
$10,000,000, the department, in consultation with the committee, | ||
shall review the possibility of a public private partnership, and | ||
potential cost, project delivery, and efficiency advantages. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 55, Transportation Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 55.008. CAPITAL PROGRAM. (a) The committee shall | ||
prepare a two-year port capital program defining the goals and | ||
objectives of the committee concerning the development of maritime | ||
port facilities and an intermodal transportation system. The port | ||
capital program must include projects or studies submitted to the | ||
committee by any maritime port and recommendations for: | ||
(1) the construction of transportation facilities | ||
connecting any maritime port to another transportation mode; and | ||
(2) the efficient, cost-effective development of | ||
transportation facilities or maritime port facilities for the | ||
purpose of: | ||
(A) enhancing international trade; | ||
(B) enhancing security; | ||
(C) promoting cargo flow; | ||
(D) increasing cruise passenger movements; | ||
(E) increasing maritime port revenues; [and] | ||
(F) generating new trade-related jobs; and | ||
(G) providing economic benefits to the state. | ||
(b) The committee shall update the port capital program and | ||
shall submit the capital program not later than December 1 of each | ||
even-numbered year to: | ||
(1) the governor; | ||
(2) the lieutenant governor; | ||
(3) the speaker of the house of representatives; and | ||
(4) the commission. | ||
(c) Prior to approval of the port capital program, the | ||
committee, in consultation with the Texas Higher Education | ||
Coordinating Board, the Texas Workforce Commission and other | ||
appropriate agencies, on a workforce development plan to equip | ||
Texans to pursue job opportunities related to the new port | ||
investment. | ||
SECTION 3. Chapter 60, Transportation Code, is amended by | ||
adding Section 60.002 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 60.002. TEXAS GLOBAL SEAPORTS PROGRAM. (a) In this | ||
section, "program" means the Texas Global Seaports Program. | ||
(b) An interagency, public-private sector work group | ||
entitled the Texas Global Seaports Work Group is created to consult | ||
upon, develop, adopt an action plan for, and fund the program, | ||
including: | ||
(1) develop or update a process to allow agencies and | ||
business to work together to identify the key emerging global | ||
markets for Texas products and services, and inbound foreign | ||
investment in Texas businesses, and collaborate to identify | ||
improvements to Texas' seaports to better serve international | ||
commerce; | ||
(2) consult with local governments, educational | ||
institutions, economic development and metropolitan planning | ||
organizations, workforce development agencies, small business | ||
agencies, chambers of commerce, trade associations, and other | ||
stakeholders, to elicit recommendations on a statewide strategy to | ||
enhance services out of Texas' global seaports; | ||
(3) consult with the top industry consumers of Texas | ||
products and services in foreign nations, elicit recommendations on | ||
improvements to Texas airports, including enhancements targeting | ||
international shippers and passengers, which would improve Texas' | ||
ability to compete with other states, provinces and nations for | ||
international maritime business; and | ||
(4) Establish a "Texas Global Seaports Fund," and | ||
criteria and a procedure through which a facility may secure | ||
certification as a "Texas Global Seaport," entitling the facility | ||
to apply for funding for capital and other improvements from the | ||
fund. | ||
(c) The task force shall meet at least once quarterly in | ||
Austin to report on results of their consultations, new | ||
international partnerships, and best practices and case studies | ||
from other states, provinces and nations. | ||
(d) No later than December 31, 2014, the Task Force shall | ||
publish its findings and strategic recommendations, including | ||
selected case studies from other nations, and a strategic plan to | ||
boost total international activity at Texas seaports by 20% by the | ||
year 2025. | ||
(e) In fulfilling its duties, the task force shall consider | ||
opportunities to collaborate with the federal government, | ||
including the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal | ||
Maritime Administration, and other federal government departments, | ||
and the effect of federal policies, including trade agreements, | ||
upon Texas' maritime business opportunities in the global | ||
marketplace. | ||
SECTION 4. 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, 2013. |