Sec. 451.702. ELECTION AUTHORIZED

(a) The board of an authority in which the sales and use tax is imposed at a rate of one-half of one percent and in which the principal municipality has a population of more than 1.3 million may order an election to create an advanced transportation district within the authority's boundaries and to impose a sales and use tax for advanced transportation and mobility enhancement under this subchapter. If approved at the election, the rate of the sales and use tax for advanced transportation and mobility enhancement shall be set by the governing body of the district at a rate of:

(1) one-eighth of one percent;

(2) one-fourth of one percent;

(3) three-eighths of one percent; or

(4) one-half of one percent.

(b) The board shall provide written notice of the board's intention to call an election under Subsection (a) to the governing body of each municipality and the commissioners court of each county any part of which is in the authority at least 120 days before the date of the proposed election.

(c) The authority shall pay the costs of an election ordered by the board under this section.

(d) At the election, the ballots shall be prepared to permit voting for or against the proposition: "The creation of an advanced transportation district and the imposition of a sales and use tax for advanced transportation and mobility enhancement within the district at the rate to be set by the governing body of the advanced transportation district."

(e) The proceeds of the sales and use tax imposed under this section shall be used by the district only for:

(1) advanced transportation and mobility enhancement purposes as provided by Subsections (f)-(j); and

(2) reimbursement to the authority for the cost of an election held under this section.

(f) The district shall use one-half of the proceeds of the sales and use tax only for advanced transportation purposes as determined by the governing body of the district. Those purposes may include a debt service requirement, capitalized interest, reserve fund requirement, credit agreement as defined by Section 1371.001, Government Code, administrative cost, or other bond-related cost incurred by or relating to the issuance of obligations by the district relating to the purchase, design, construction, reconstruction, alteration, financing, and maintenance of advanced transportation facilities, equipment, operations, systems, and services, including a feasibility study, operation, or professional or other service in connection with the facilities, equipment, operations, systems, and services.

(g) The governing body of the district shall remit one-fourth of the proceeds of the sales and use tax to each participating unit in proportion to the amount of the sales and use tax proceeds that were collected in that participating unit. A participating unit may use proceeds received under this subsection only for advanced transportation or mobility enhancement purposes in the territory of the authority.

(h) Payments under Subsection (g) shall be made monthly beginning the first day of the month after the month in which the authority receives proceeds of the sales and use tax imposed under this section.

(i) The governing body of the district shall place one-fourth of the proceeds of the sales and use tax in a separate account. Funds in the account, together with interest or other revenues earned on those funds, may be used as determined by the governing body of the district only to provide the appropriate amount to the Texas Department of Transportation, a county or municipality in which the district is located, or a local government corporation created under Chapter 431 as the local share of a state or federal grant, including a transfer of money by the Texas Department of Transportation or another state or federal entity under an agreement with a county, municipality, or local government corporation created by the county or municipality under Chapter 431, for advanced transportation or mobility enhancement purposes in the territory of the district.

(j) For projects to be funded under Subsection (i), the governing body of the district shall:

(1) obtain recommendations from the appropriate metropolitan planning organization;

(2) prioritize projects eligible for funding under that subsection; and

(3) consider in the selection and prioritization process the geographic location of other state or federally funded transportation projects, advanced transportation projects, and mobility enhancement projects so as to foster geographic equity in the planning and development of the projects.

(k) Pursuant to its authority under Subsection (i), the governing body of the district may enter into an agreement or other contractual arrangement with a county, municipality, or local government corporation created under Chapter 431 by a county or municipality to transfer proceeds of the district's sales and use tax identified in Subsection (i) to the county, municipality, or local government corporation to finance any cost relating to mobility enhancement purposes in the territory of the district. The county, municipality, or local government corporation may pledge and create a lien on the proceeds transferred. The lien and pledge are subject to Chapter 1208, Government Code. Money of the district other than the portion of the district's sales and use tax identified in Subsection (i) may not be used or obligated for purposes identified in Subsection (i).

(l) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the governing body of a district may, by order or resolution, without the necessity of an election specifically concerning the matter:

(1) pledge the sales and use tax proceeds identified in Subsection (f) from a sales and use tax imposed by an election held under this section after May 21, 1999, to one or more series of sales and use tax revenue bonds issued under Subchapter H, subject to Subsection (l-1); and

(2) enter into an agreement or contractual arrangement under Subsection (k).

(l-1) The governing body of a district may not pledge sales and use tax proceeds under Subsection (l) unless the board has conducted a public hearing concerning the issuance of the bonds to which the proceeds are pledged and published notice of the hearing at least 14 days before the date of the hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in the principal municipality of the authority.

(m) As a condition of a payment under Subsection (i), the county, municipality, or local government corporation shall provide the governing body of the district a certificate indicating that the county, municipality, or local government corporation will use the money in conformity with this subchapter.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 155, Sec. 1, eff. May 21, 1999. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 336, Sec. 2, eff. June 18, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 382 , Sec. 2, eff. June 17, 2005. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 806 , Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1163 , Sec. 172, eff. September 1, 2011.