Bill Text: TX HJR157 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment limiting the purposes for which revenue from taxes on motor fuels and lubricants may be used.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-23 - Referred to Ways & Means [HJR157 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HJR157-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Phillips H.J.R. No. 157
 
 
 
A JOINT RESOLUTION
  proposing a constitutional amendment limiting the purposes for
  which revenue from taxes on motor fuels and lubricants may be used.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
  SECTION 1.  proposing a constitutional amendment limiting the
  purposes for which revenue from taxes on motor fuels and lubricants
  may be used.
         BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article VIII, Texas Constitution, is amended by
  amending Section 7-a and adding Section 7-c to read as follows:
         Sec. 7-a.  (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, and on new and used
  motor vehicle tires and new and used motor vehicle parts shall be
  used for the sole purpose of acquiring rights-of-way, constructing,
  and 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 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.
         (b)  Subject to legislative appropriation, allocation, and
  direction:
               (1)  three-fourths of the net revenue that is remaining
  after payment of all refunds allowed by law and expenses of
  collection and that is derived from all taxes, except gross
  production and ad valorem taxes, on motor fuels and lubricants used
  to propel motor vehicles over public highways shall be used for the
  sole purpose of constructing and maintaining public highways; and
               (2)  one-fourth of that net revenue shall be allocated
  to the available school fund.
         (c)  Nothing contained in this section [herein] shall be
  construed as authorizing the pledging of the State's credit for any
  purpose.
         (d)  For a biennium, the Legislature may not appropriate
  funds derived from the revenue described by Subsection (a) and
  Subsection (b) of this section or Section 7-b of this article for a
  purpose other than acquiring rights-of-way or constructing or
  maintaining public roadways in an amount that exceeds the lesser
  of:
               (1)  the total amount of those funds appropriated for a
  purpose other than acquiring rights-of-way or constructing or
  maintaining public roadways in the preceding biennium; or
               (2)  the amount determined under Subsection (c) of this
  section.
         (e)  For each biennium, the maximum amount that may be
  appropriated as provided by Subsection (b) of this section is
  reduced by 25 percent from the preceding biennium if the estimate of
  anticipated revenue from all sources made in advance of the regular
  session under Section 49a(a), Article III, of this constitution for
  the biennium exceeds the total amount of revenue from all sources
  for the preceding biennium by more than three times the amount of
  the reduction.
         SECTION 2.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
  submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2009.
  The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
  proposition: "The constitutional amendment limiting the purposes
  for which revenue from taxes on motor fuels and lubricants may be
  used and authorizing the legislature to provide for automatic
  adjustments of the rates of motor fuels taxes."
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