The 11th week of the 84th legislative session brings a round of action in transportation policy and funding bills for the Texas House. 

Full focus for funding advocates across the state kicks off this Thursday morning at 8 a.m. in the House Transportation committee.  While eyes have been peeled to see how the House would react to the recent passage of SB 5/SJR 5 out of the Texas Senate, Chairman Joe Pickett has chosen a different approach to filling the annual funding gap for our state's infrastructure needs. 

HB 13/ HJR 13  proposes a constitutional amendment to be voted on November 3, 2015 that would dedicate $3 billion of sales and use taxes to the state highway fund beginning in FY 2018.  Bill supporters believe that basing funding on the sales tax, instead of the sales tax on motor vehicles, is a more inclusive approach because all users of transportation are contributing, instead of just those who bought a car that year.  Here are some additional key points to consider.  TAG will join TAoT, Move Texas Forward and others in formally supporting this legislation. 

Tomorrow morning the House Transportation S/C on Long-term Infrastructure Planning convenes at 8 a.m. to review four bills primarily focused on project selection and tolling.  While these bills focus more on process, TAG is closely monitoring them with our regional and state partners as they could have a significant impact on future projects in the Houston region.  They are HB 20 (Simmons), HB 1350  (Burkett), HB1835 (Sanford) and HB 1837 (Sanford).