Hoping to solve some of the state’s glaring problems with transportation, Gov. Rick Perry has opened the special session agenda to transportation-related bills.
This move has been a whispered rumor since the session began, but now lawmakers in the Texas House and Senate will begin debate on over 12 pre-filed transportation bills.
The big one with the most buzz is a bill co-authored by Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, and Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville.
"What it does is takes the funds that flow into the Rainy Day Fund now and splits that stream equally between the Rainy Day Fund and Fund 6, which is our constitutionally-dedicated State Highway Fund," said Williams.
Perry agrees with Williams that the need to fund Texas Roads has hit an apex, especially considering all the population growth the state has seen.
"We obviously have some great concerns about transportation in this state and how we deal with the massive amount of people that are moving into the state and the great pressure that’s put on our infrastructure," Perry said.
Perry opened the special session agenda just before leaving for a trip to the East Coast to tout the benefits of businesses moving to Texas, transportation not being one of them.
