Bill Text: TX HJR144 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the use of money in the state highway fund for roadways for seaports, airports, spaceports, land ports of entry, and international bridges.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-04-24 - Referred to Transportation [HJR144 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HJR144-Introduced.html

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88R10171 CJC-D
By: Canales H.J.R. No. 144

A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the use of money
in the state highway fund for roadways for seaports, airports,
spaceports, land ports of entry, and international bridges.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 7-a, Article VIII, Texas Constitution,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 7-a. Subject to legislative appropriation, allocation
and direction, all net revenues remaining after payment of all
refunds allowed by law and expenses of collection derived from
motor vehicle registration fees, and all taxes, except gross
production and ad valorem taxes, on motor fuels and lubricants used
to propel motor vehicles over public roadways, shall be used for the
sole purpose of acquiring rights-of-way, constructing,
maintaining, and policing such public roadways, and for the
administration of such laws as may be prescribed by the Legislature
pertaining to the supervision of traffic and safety on such roads;
and for the purpose of acquiring rights-of-way, constructing, and
maintaining roadways for seaports, airports, spaceports, land
ports of entry, and international bridges [payment of the principal
and interest on county and road district bonds or warrants voted or
issued prior to January 2, 1939, and declared eligible prior to
January 2, 1945, for payment out of the County and Road District
Highway Fund under existing law]; provided, however, that
one-fourth (1/4) of such net revenue from the motor fuel tax shall
be allocated to the Available School Fund; and, provided, however,
that the net revenue derived by counties from motor vehicle
registration fees shall never be less than the maximum amounts
allowed to be retained by each County and the percentage allowed to
be retained by each County under the laws in effect on January 1,
1945. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as authorizing
the pledging of the State's credit for any purpose.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the use of
money in the state highway fund for roadways for seaports,
airports, spaceports, land ports of entry, and international
bridges."