HB4473 - Relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation of the construction and maintenance of certain county road systems in this state.

      By: Canales H.B. No. 4473       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation of the   construction and maintenance of certain county road systems in this   state.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 250, Transportation Code, is amended by   adding Section 250.003 to read as follows:           Sec.   250.003.     STUDY REGARDING COUNTY ROAD SYSTEMS. (a) The   department, in consultation with the Texas A&M Transportation   Institute, shall conduct a study of the construction and   maintenance of county roads and bridges under the five systems of   county road administration described by Chapter 251 and   Subchapters A, B, C, and D of Chapter 252.           (b)  The study described by Subsection (a) shall:                 (1)     provide an inventory of what system of county road   administration each county in this state has adopted and the date on   which it was adopted;                 (2)     provide, for the 20 most populous counties in each   of the five systems of county road administration and after   adjusting for inflation:                       (A)     the average and median cost of the   construction and maintenance of county roads during the most recent   25-year period or the period since the adoption of the county's   current system of county road administration; and                       (B)     an average per-mile cost comparison of   completed road projects among the five systems of county road   administration during the most recent 25-year period or the period   since the adoption of the county's current system of county road   administration; and                 (3)     rank from most economical to least economical for   taxpayers the systems of county road administration for the   construction and maintenance of county roads and describe the   reasoning behind each rank placement.           (c)     Not later than December 1, 2026, the department shall   submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the   house, and each legislative committee with jurisdiction over   transportation issues a written report that includes the results of   the study conducted under this section and any associated   recommendations.           (c-1)     The department, as part of the study conducted under   this section and in consultation with the Texas A&M Transportation   Institute, shall:                 (1)     identify unpaved or substandard county roads   located in counties that border the United Mexican States;                 (2)     assess the extent to which those roads impact   border security operations, including law enforcement mobility and   emergency response access;                 (3)     evaluate the feasibility and estimated cost of   paving or upgrading roads that are determined to significantly   impact border security; and                 (4)     include in the report submitted under Subsection   (c) any recommendations for prioritizing improvements to such roads   based on their relevance to public safety and national security.           (d)  This section expires January 1, 2027.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.