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.