Bill Text: TX SB1837 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to requiring certain metropolitan rapid transit authorities to hold a referendum before spending any money for a fixed rail transit system.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-05-24 - Not again placed on intent calendar [SB1837 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB1837-Comm_Sub.html
By: Menéndez | S.B. No. 1837 | |
(In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2015; March 25, 2015, read | ||
first time and referred to Committee on Transportation; | ||
April 30, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee | ||
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 30, 2015, | ||
sent to printer.) | ||
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1837 | By: Huffines |
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relating to requiring certain metropolitan rapid transit | ||
authorities to hold a referendum before spending any money for a | ||
fixed rail transit system. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 451, Transportation Code, | ||
is amended by adding Section 451.073 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 451.073. REFERENDUM FOR RAIL PLAN; CERTAIN | ||
AUTHORITIES. (a) This section applies only to an authority | ||
created before 1980 in which the principal municipality has a | ||
population of less than 1.9 million. | ||
(b) Before the authority may spend any funds to purchase, | ||
acquire, construct, operate, or maintain any form of a fixed rail | ||
transit system, the authority must hold a referendum on whether the | ||
authority may operate a fixed rail transit system. At the election | ||
the ballots shall be printed to permit voting for or against the | ||
following proposition: "The operation of a fixed rail system by | ||
(name of authority)." | ||
(c) The notice of an election called under this section must | ||
include a general description of the form of the fixed rail transit | ||
system, including the general location of any proposed routes. | ||
(d) If a majority of the votes cast are in favor of the | ||
proposition, the authority may build and operate the system as | ||
provided in the notice for the election. If less than a majority of | ||
the votes cast are in favor of the proposition, the authority may | ||
not expend funds of the authority to purchase, acquire, construct, | ||
operate, or maintain any form of a fixed rail transit system unless | ||
the system is approved by a majority of the votes cast at a | ||
referendum held by the authority for that purpose. | ||
(e) A subsequent referendum under Subsection (d): | ||
(1) may be held more than once; | ||
(2) is held in the same manner as the initial | ||
referendum; and | ||
(3) may not be held before the first anniversary of an | ||
election previously held under this section. | ||
(f) Approval of a fixed rail transit system at an election | ||
called under this section preempts any requirement in a municipal | ||
charter that, for the system approved, requires a municipal | ||
election to be held before the municipality may: | ||
(1) grant permission to alter or damage any public way | ||
of the municipality for the construction of the system; or | ||
(2) appropriate funds or authorize bonds or notes to | ||
be issued or sold for the purpose of the design, construction, or | ||
operation of the system. | ||
SECTION 2. 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, 2015. | ||
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