Funding
HB 1 (Otto/Nelson) the General Appropriations bill, provided funding for the Texas Department of Transportation for the 2016–17 biennium and includes $23.1 billion in All Funds, an increase of $0.1 billion over the previous biennium. $1.3 billion in State Highway Funds was made available from the discontinuation of State Highway Fund appropriations to agencies other than Texas Department of Transportation.
$19.6 billion in All Funds is provided for transportation planning and design, right-of-way acquisition, construction, and maintenance and preservation which includes:
- $8.8 billion for maintenance and preservation of the existing transportation system;
- $5.8 billion for construction and highway improvements;
- $2.4 billion from estimated oil and natural gas tax-related transfers to the State Highway Fund (Proposition 1, 2014) for constructing, maintaining, and acquiring rights-of-way for non-tolled public roadways;
- $1.8 billion for transportation system planning, design, and management; and
- $0.9 billion for right-of-way acquisition.
HB 2 (Otto/Nelson) the Supplemental Appropriations Bill, would reappropriate to TxDOT any unexpended funds originally appropriated to the agency for road repairs in energy sectors through the enactment of HB 1025 (Pitts – 83rd). The bill would authorize the department to use these funds for the same purpose during a two-year period following the enactment of HB 2.
SJR 5 (Nichols/Pickett) this resolution would propose an amendment to the Texas Constitution to dedicate a portion of the State Highway Fund (SHF) revenues derived from state sales and use tax and the tax imposed on the sale, use, or rental of a motor vehicle.
- Future revenue gain to the SHF is anticipated to be $2.5 billion in 2018 & 2019 and would continue to grow in future biennia.
- The funds would be limited to be appropriated only 1) to construct, maintain, or acquire rights-of-way for public roadways other than toll roads; 2) for repayment of certain debt.
- The resolution was passed in the 84th and will be on the ballot for voter approval during the November 3, 2015 election.
HB 20 (Simmons/Nichols) relating to creating a performance-based transportation planning process that will ensure this historic level of transportation funding is spent in a responsible, objective manner. The bill was signed by the Governor June 3, 2015 and became effective immediately.
- Amends the Transportation code to remove from the list of possible uses from the SHF the policing of the state highway system and the administration of state laws relating to traffic and safety on public roads by the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
- Requires the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) by rule to develop and implement a performance-based planning and programming process that would provide the governor and the Legislature with indicators that quantify and qualify progress toward attaining all of the goals and objectives established for the department by the Legislature and the commission.
- Requires local transportations organizations in the state to develop a certain 10- year plan.
- TxDOT may enter a design-build contact with a construction cost estimate of $150 million or more rather than the current law amount of $50 million.
- Establishes a Select Committee on Transportation in both the House and the Senate that will review, study, and evaluate certain aspects of transportation funding, project selection and prioritization, performance measures and metrics, and policymaking.
- Those members and chairs shall be appointed to the Select Committee 30 days after the bill takes effect.
- The Select Committee on Transportation will issue a report on recommendations on those issues no later than November 1, 2016.
HB 2612 (Pickett/Hall) requires a report from TxDOT that will, among other things, list the amount of debt service on bonds issued for each toll project, identifies certain bonds that would be eligibile for accelerated or complete lump-sum payment, propose a plan for a path to a toll free transportation system. The bill was signed by the Governor June 3, 2015 and becomes effective September 1, 2015.
