COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE & MARKET NEWS

SB 19 — Relating to the development, financing, construction, and operation of toll projects. The link to the full bill is attached.

SB 814 — Relating to the deposit and use of certain revenue received by TxDOT and MPOs from certain transportation projects or systems. Changes the use of surplus revenue to pay the costs of a transportation project from “within a district” to “in the region which the toll project or system is located”. Also considers CDA revenue local funds. And certain MPOs (with two adjacent counties of 1 million or more in population) shall determine the distribution of funds within the region in which a project is located.

HB 1577— Requires a regional tollway authority is subject to review under the Texas Sunset Act by September 1, 2013 as if it were a state agency but may not be abolished under that chapter.

HB 1636 — Relating to certain financial requirements of regional tollway authorities. They will now be subject to an annual audit and be required to keep electronic checking account transaction records among other items.

HB 1669 — Relating to the establishment of an electric motor vehicle mileage fee pilot program by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. The department by rule shall establish and implement a statewide pilot program to assess owners of electric motor vehicles a vehicle mileage fee that is based on the number of miles traveled on public roads in this state by those motor vehicles.  The pilot program must require all electric motor vehicles registered in this state to be subject to the mileage fee.

HB 1724 — Relating to economically driven mobility projects. Creates an account consisting of revenue received from projects financed under this section. TxDOT will develop a process and criteria for project selection as well as a project application process for local transportation planning entities, including municipalities, counties, MPOs and toll project entities. Revenue from projects financed under this section must be deposited to the credit of the economically driven mobility project account. 

HB 1742/SB 888 — Relating to the authority of a regional transportation authority to create a local government corporation. Adds “a regional transportation authority” to the definition of local government.