2005 Texas Local Government Code CHAPTER 445. MISCELLANEOUS PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION PROVISIONS AFFECTING COUNTIES

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE

SUBTITLE B. COUNTY PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION PROVISIONS

CHAPTER 445. MISCELLANEOUS PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION PROVISIONS 
AFFECTING COUNTIES

SUBCHAPTER A. PARKING


	§ 445.001. 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.                    


	§ 445.002. 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.  Amended 
by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 597, § 105, eff. Sept. 1, 1991;  Acts 
2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, § 111, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.


	§ 445.003. 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.                    


	§ 445.004. 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, § 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999.          

SUBCHAPTER B. AIRPORTS


	§ 445.011. 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987.  Amended 
by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 597, § 106, eff. Sept. 1, 1991;  Acts 
2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, § 112, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

SUBCHAPTER C. TRANSPORTATION


	§ 445.021. 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, § 1, eff. June 16, 1991.           


	§ 445.022. FINANCES.  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 § 332.004(c) by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 107, 
§ 8.02, eff. Aug. 30, 1993.


	§ 445.023. 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, § 13, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.          


	§ 445.024. 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, § 14, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.  
Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 669, § 113, eff. Sept. 1, 
2001.

SUBCHAPTER D. SPECIAL COUNTY ROAD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM


	§ 445.101. 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.           


	§ 445.102. 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.           


	§ 445.103. 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.