CHAPTER 615. MISCELLANEOUS PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION PROVISIONS AFFECTING COUNTIES - Texas Statutes

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE

TITLE 14. PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION

SUBTITLE B. COUNTY PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION PROVISIONS

CHAPTER 615. MISCELLANEOUS PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION PROVISIONS

AFFECTING COUNTIES

SUBCHAPTER A. PARKING

Sec. 615.001. PARKING ON COUNTY PROPERTY. (a) The

commissioners court of a county by order may regulate the parking

of vehicles on property owned or leased by the county.

(b) The commissioners court may adopt rules under this section

to:

(1) limit the use of parking spaces to certain vehicles or types

of vehicles;

(2) limit the time that a vehicle may be parked in a specific

space or area; or

(3) prohibit the parking of vehicles in certain areas.

(c) If a county restricts or prohibits parking in a place, it

shall erect an appropriately worded sign at the place to inform a

driver of a vehicle of the restriction or prohibition. The county

is not required to erect a sign to indicate that parking is

prohibited on a lawn or other area that does not appear to be a

place intended for use as a parking area.

(d) A county may provide for towing and storing a vehicle at the

owner's expense if it is parked in violation of a rule adopted

under this section. The county may not provide for towing a

vehicle that is parked under circumstances that create a defense

to prosecution under Subsection (e).

(e) A person commits an offense if the person parks a vehicle in

violation of a rule adopted under this section. An offense under

this section is a Class C misdemeanor. It is a defense to

prosecution under this section that the place where the person

parked is an area in which a sign is required under Subsection

(c) and that there was no sign in place at the time the person

parked.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.001 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(1), eff. April 1, 2009.

Sec. 615.002. REGULATION OF COURTHOUSE PARKING LOTS IN CERTAIN

COUNTIES. (a) This section applies to a county with a

population of:

(1) 14,350 to 14,450;

(2) 19,000 to 19,200;

(3) 20,100 to 20,300;

(4) 47,150 to 47,350;

(5) 37,900 to 38,500;

(6) 210,000 to 220,000; or

(7) 235,000 or more.

(b) The commissioners court of the county may purchase necessary

equipment and may make and enforce rules for parking in a

county-owned or county-leased parking lot in, under, adjacent to,

or near the county courthouse.

(c) The commissioners court and the governing body of the

municipality in which the courthouse is located may contract for

enforcement of the rules.

(d) The sheriff's department of the county may enforce the

rules.

(e) A person commits an offense if the person violates a parking

rule adopted under this section. An offense under this subsection

is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $1 nor

more than $20.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.

Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 597, Sec. 105, eff. Sept. 1,

1991; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, Sec. 111, eff. Sept. 1,

2001.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.002 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(1), eff. April 1, 2009.

Sec. 615.003. PARKING LOTS AND PARKING GARAGES IN CERTAIN

COUNTIES. (a) A county with a population of 150,000 or more may

construct, enlarge, equip, and operate a parking lot or parking

garage adjacent to or near the county courthouse.

(b) The county may lease the parking lot or parking garage to a

person on terms considered appropriate by the commissioners court

of the county.

(c) To exercise a power granted by this section, the

commissioners court of the county may appropriate and spend money

from the general fund or the permanent improvement fund of the

county.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.003 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(1), eff. April 1, 2009.

Sec. 615.004. FREE PARKING IN COUNTY PARKING FACILITIES. (a)

The commissioners court of a county by order may permit former

prisoners of war or persons awarded the Purple Heart or a

Congressional Medal of Honor to park free of charge in any county

parking facility.

(b) The commissioners court of the county may adopt procedures

to administer this section, including procedures to verify the

status of a person described by Subsection (a).

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1049, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30,

1999.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.004 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(1), eff. April 1, 2009.

SUBCHAPTER B. AIRPORTS

Sec. 615.011. USE OF EQUIPMENT ON AIRSTRIPS BY CERTAIN COUNTIES.

(a) In this section, "airstrip" means:

(1) an area of land or water used or intended for use for the

landing and takeoff of aircraft; and

(2) an appurtenant area used or intended for use for an airport

building, other airport facility, or right-of-way.

(b) A county with a population of 36,650 to 37,650 may authorize

the use of county equipment, machinery, and employees to

construct, establish, and maintain a public airstrip in the

county.

(c) The county shall pay the cost of the use of the county

equipment, machinery, and employees from appropriate county

funds.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.

Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 597, Sec. 106, eff. Sept. 1,

1991; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, Sec. 112, eff. Sept. 1,

2001.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.011 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(2), eff. April 1, 2009.

SUBCHAPTER C. TRANSPORTATION

Sec. 615.021. GRANTS FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES. (a) A county

may provide grants to an eligible nonprofit corporation that

provides transportation services to residents of the county.

(b) An eligible nonprofit corporation is one that was organized

before September 1, 1985, to coordinate the public transportation

services of state agencies in a regional rural area and to

provide public transportation in a county or multicounty rural

area.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 679, Sec. 1, eff. June 16,

1991.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.021 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(3), eff. April 1, 2009.

Sec. 615.022. TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OF CERTAIN COUNTIES FOR

SENIOR CITIZENS. The commissioners court of a county with a

population of 2.4 million or more may pay out of the county

general funds costs and expenses for the transportation of senior

citizens for civic, community, educational, and recreational

activities within and outside the county.

Renumbered from Sec. 332.004(c) by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 107,

Sec. 8.02, eff. Aug. 30, 1993.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.022 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(3), eff. April 1, 2009.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch.

87, Sec. 15.017, eff. September 1, 2009.

Sec. 615.023. CONTRACTS WITH TRANSIT AUTHORITIES. (a) The

commissioners court of a county may contract with a rapid transit

authority operating under Chapter 451, Transportation Code, or a

metropolitan transportation authority operating under Chapter 452

of that code for the authority to provide public transportation

services to an unincorporated area of the county outside the

boundaries of the authority.

(b) The county may impose taxes and pledge and encumber other

receipts and revenue as may be required to make payments to the

authority under the contract.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 13, eff. Sept. 1,

1995.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.023 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(3), eff. April 1, 2009.

Sec. 615.024. REGULATION OF TRANSIT AUTHORITY PASSENGERS. (a)

The commissioners court of a county in which there is located a

rapid transit authority operating under Chapter 451,

Transportation Code, the principal municipality of which has a

population of more than 1.9 million, may adopt an ordinance of

the principal municipality relating to the conduct of persons:

(1) on board a transit vehicle;

(2) awaiting transportation on a transit vehicle at a bus stop

or other place designated as a place of entry to or exit from a

transit vehicle;

(3) in a facility, including a building, storage unit, or

parking lot of the rapid transit authority; or

(4) in a transit route or other dedicated traffic lane over

which a transit vehicle travels and that is specifically labeled

or numbered for the purpose of picking up or discharging

passengers at regularly scheduled stops or intervals.

(b) An order adopted under this section applies in all parts of

the county.

(c) An offense defined by an order under this section is a Class

C misdemeanor.

(d) In this section:

(1) "Principal municipality" has the meaning assigned by Section

451.001, Transportation Code.

(2) "Transit vehicle" means a vehicle operated by a rapid

transit authority operating under Chapter 451, Transportation

Code.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 14, eff. Sept. 1,

1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, Sec. 113, eff.

Sept. 1, 2001.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.024 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(3), eff. April 1, 2009.

SUBCHAPTER D. SPECIAL COUNTY ROAD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Sec. 615.101. SPECIAL COUNTY ROAD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. On or

before October 15 of each year, the comptroller shall distribute

to counties money appropriated for the special county road

assistance program under this subchapter.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 943, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

2001.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.101 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(4), eff. April 1, 2009.

Sec. 615.102. USE OF MONEY. Money appropriated to the program

under this subchapter may be used only for the support of the

county road system, including uses specified by Section 256.003,

Transportation Code.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 943, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

2001.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.102 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(4), eff. April 1, 2009.

Sec. 615.103. ALLOCATION FORMULA. The comptroller shall

distribute money appropriated to the program under this

subchapter among the counties as follows:

(1) two-fifths according to total population, determined by the

ratio of the total population of the county to the total

population of the state;

(2) one-fifth according to population, determined by the ratio

of the population in unincorporated areas of the county to the

population in all unincorporated areas of the state;

(3) one-fifth according to lineal county road miles, determined

by the ratio of lineal mileage of county roads in the county to

the lineal mileage of county roads in the state, according to the

most recent county road inventory compiled by the Texas

Department of Transportation; and

(4) one-fifth according to paved and concrete county road miles,

determined by the ratio of miles of lanes of paved and concrete

county roads in the county to the miles of lanes of paved and

concrete county roads in the state, according to the most recent

county road inventory compiled by the Texas Department of

Transportation.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 943, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

2001.

Renumbered from Local Government Code, Section 445.103 by Acts

2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch.

885, Sec. 3.76(e)(4), eff. April 1, 2009.