Bill Text: TX SB2216 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to state fiscal matters regarding business and economic development.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-29 - Referred to Finance [SB2216 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-SB2216-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Nichols S.B. No. 2216
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to state fiscal matters regarding business and economic
  development.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
  ARTICLE 1.  REDUCTION OF EXPENDITURES AND IMPOSITION OF CHARGES
  GENERALLY
         SECTION 1.01.  This article applies to any state agency that
  receives an appropriation under Article VII of the General
  Appropriations Act.
         SECTION 1.02.  Notwithstanding any other statute of this
  state, each state agency to which this article applies is
  authorized to reduce or recover expenditures by:
               (1)  consolidating any reports or publications the
  agency is required to make and filing or delivering any of those
  reports or publications exclusively by electronic means;
               (2)  extending the effective period of any license,
  permit, or registration the agency grants or administers;
               (3)  entering into a contract with another governmental
  entity or with a private vendor to carry out any of the agency's
  duties;
               (4)  adopting additional eligibility requirements for
  persons who receive benefits under any law the agency administers
  to ensure that those benefits are received by the most deserving
  persons consistent with the purposes for which the benefits are
  provided;
               (5)  providing that any communication between the
  agency and another person and any document required to be delivered
  to or by the agency, including any application, notice, billing
  statement, receipt, or certificate, may be made or delivered by
  e-mail or through the Internet; and
               (6)  adopting and collecting fees or charges to cover
  any costs the agency incurs in performing its lawful functions.
  ARTICLE 2.  FISCAL MATTERS REGARDING TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND
  ACTIVITIES
         SECTION 2.01.  Section 201.601, Transportation Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
         (g)  The plan must include a component that evaluates future
  federal funding opportunities for all modes of transportation and
  identifies actions necessary to maximize the total amount of
  federal funds received in the future for transportation
  improvements in this state.
         SECTION 2.02.  Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation
  Code, is amended by adding Section 201.623 to read as follows:
         Sec. 201.623.  COOPERATION WITH LOCAL PLANNING ENTITIES TO
  MAXIMIZE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PROJECTS. The department shall work
  and plan with local transportation planning entities to maximize
  the amount of federal funding awarded for projects in this state by
  identifying and pursuing projects that are eligible for federal
  grant programs, including the scenic byways program.
  ARTICLE 3. FISCAL MATTERS REGARDING PERMIT FEES
         SECTION 3.01.  Subchapter A, Chapter 623, Transportation
  Code, is amended by adding Section 623.002 to read as follows:
         Sec. 623.004.  EVALUATION OF PERMIT FEES. (a) The
  department shall evaluate highway use in this state by oversize or
  overweight vehicles, calculate the cost of damage to highways in
  this state caused by those vehicles, and determine whether:
               (1)  the fees charged for permits issued under this
  chapter are adequate to offset the costs of damage to highways
  caused by those vehicles and recommend any fee adjustments for the
  permits to reflect the costs of damage to highways caused by those
  vehicles; and
               (2)  vehicles currently exempt from permit
  requirements under this chapter should be required to obtain a
  permit to operate on roads or highways in this state.
         (b)  Not later than October 1 of each even-numbered year, the
  department shall report its findings to:
               (1)  the Legislative Budget Board; and
               (2)  the governor.
         SECTION 3.02.  Section 623.077, Transportation Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 623.077.  HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE FEE. (a) An applicant
  for a permit under this subchapter, other than a permit under
  Section 623.071(c)(3), must also pay a highway maintenance fee in
  an amount determined according to vehicle weight and distance
  traveled. [the following table:
 
[Vehicle Weight in Pounds Fee        
 
[80,001 to 120,000 $150        
 
[120,001 to 160,000 $225        
 
[160,001 to 200,000 $300        
 
[200,001 and above $375]        
         (b)  The department shall adopt rules to implement this
  section and establish a schedule of rates, based on miles traveled,
  for all vehicle weight categories that provides for an increase in
  the rates according to the weight of a vehicle.
         (c)  The department shall send each fee collected under
  Subsection (a) to the comptroller, who shall deposit:
               (1)  90 percent of the fee to the credit of the state
  highway fund; and
               (2)  10 percent of the fee to the credit of the Texas
  Department of Motor Vehicles fund.
         SECTION 3.03.  (a) The Texas Department of Transportation
  shall adopt rules implementing Section 623.077, Transportation
  Code, as amended by this article, not later than January 1, 2018.
         (b)  Section 623.077(a), Transportation Code, as amended by
  this article, applies only to an application for a permit submitted
  under Subchapter D, Chapter 623, Transportation Code, to the Texas
  Department of Transportation on or after January 1, 2018. An
  application for a permit submitted before January 1, 2018, is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the application was
  submitted, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
  ARTICLE 4. ARTICLE VII EMPLOYEES
         SECTION 4.01.  An employee of an agency appropriated funds
  under Article VII of the General Appropriations Act is not entitled
  to an amount from the state for expenses, per diem, travel, or
  salary that exceeds the amount authorized for those purposes by the
  General Appropriations Act.
         SECTION 2.02.  An employee of an agency appropriated funds
  under Article VII of the General Appropriations Act is not entitled
  to an amount from the state for a salary, a salary supplement,
  office expenses or reimbursement of office expenses, or travel that
  exceeds the amount authorized for those purposes by the General
  Appropriations Act.
  Article 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
         SECTION 5.4.01.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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