SB1371

Emergency refueling without losing the specified tax exemption. The existing compressed-natural-gas/liquefied-natural-gas exemption in Tax Code section 162.356(a)(11) had a restriction on stations accessible to vehicles other than those providing transit-company services. SB1371 allows additional access by vehicles already exempt under another part of section 162.356(a), if the station is operated by a Chapter 451 metropolitan rapid transit authority whose principal municipality has fewer than 320,000 people and that additional use is limited to emergencies or other urgent circumstances under an interlocal agreement. This is not a general exemption for public retail refueling or every transit fleet: the underlying section (a)(11) eligibility, including its January 1, 2015 taxpayer condition, remains. Final law, section 1; Prior exemption and station restriction; Interlocal agreement framework.

Fare-approval route expands. For authorities whose principal municipality has fewer than 1.3 million people, the act removes the requirement that the authority have been confirmed before July 1, 1985 to use section 451.061(d-1). Under that route, most fares, tolls, charges, rents and other compensation take effect on majority board approval. A single-ride base fare instead takes effect on day 60 after board approval unless the regional metropolitan planning organization’s policy board disapproves it by majority vote. This expands access to an existing approval process; it does not set a fare amount, guarantee an increase or decrease, or make all base-fare changes immediate. Other authorities remain subject to their applicable rules, including the separate committee-approval provision where applicable. Final law, section 2; Prior fare rules and exception.

Some partial service stops counting toward the eight-year limit. For a board whose principal municipality has fewer than 320,000 people, the service calculation excludes: service filling an unexpired term before the member’s first full-term appointment; and service attributable to a term shortened by appointment as presiding officer under section 451.502(e). The eight-year limit and restriction on an appointment that would exceed it remain, but these excluded periods can allow total calendar service beyond eight years. This is not a general repeal of transit-board term limits or a reset for every partial term. Final law, section 3; Existing eight-year limit; Presiding-officer appointment rule.

All five substantive versions match. No amendments are listed in the official amendment index; the three policy changes were present from introduction through enrollment. Introduced; Senate committee; Senate-passed; House committee; Final law; Version index; Amendment index.

Compare the published text versions in the official text index. A change is not attributed to a specific amendment here without a verified record.

Qualifying authorities and already-exempt emergency users gain more flexibility to share natural-gas fueling facilities under an agreement. Boards newly covered by the fare exception can use that approval process, while riders retain its 60-day base-fare timing and regional disapproval safeguard. Qualifying board members may serve longer in calendar years when the specified partial periods are excluded. The law does not guarantee any particular appointment, fare, fuel savings or service improvement. Final law.

The April 1 fiscal note anticipates no significant state or local fiscal impact and assumes state costs can be absorbed within existing resources. It gives no dollar estimate for tax effects, fuel costs or rider fares. The act makes no appropriation. Fiscal note; Final law.