House Bill No. 3187 aims to enhance the powers of regional transportation authorities in Texas by introducing a General Mobility Program. This program allows a unit of election within an authority governed by a subregional board to enter into an agreement to allocate up to 25 percent of the sales and use tax revenue for various mobility projects, including the construction and maintenance of sidewalks, trails, and roads, as well as traffic control improvements. The bill stipulates that the unit of election must provide an annual list of intended projects and outlines the distribution of funds, with 50 percent available at the start of the fiscal year and the remaining 50 percent on a reimbursement basis. Additionally, any unused funds must be directed towards paying down outstanding debt secured by a sales and use tax.

The bill also amends existing provisions regarding the pledging of revenue for bond payments, allowing authorities to pledge not more than 75 percent of tax revenue. It introduces a new section that restricts the issuance of financial obligations by the authority upon receiving a notice of election, ensuring that such actions do not increase the financial obligations of the unit of election. Furthermore, the bill modifies the frequency of withdrawal elections for units of election within certain authorities. The changes are set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Transportation Code 452.357, Transportation Code 452.358, Transportation Code 452.401, Transportation Code 452.651, Transportation Code 452.658 (Transportation Code 452)
House Committee Report: Transportation Code 452.357, Transportation Code 452.358, Transportation Code 452.651 (Transportation Code 452)