The department must create and carry out a public involvement policy and require public commenters to disclose certain interests on a witness card.
Sec. 201.811. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT POLICY. (a) The department shall develop and implement a policy for public involvement that guides and encourages public involvement with the department. The policy must: (1) provide for the use of public involvement techniques that target different groups and individuals; (2) encourage continuous contact between the department and persons outside the department throughout the transportation decision-making process; (3) require the department to make efforts toward: (A) clearly tying public involvement to decisions made by the department; and (B) providing clear information to the public about specific outcomes of public input; (4) apply to all public input with the department, including input: (A) on statewide transportation policy-making; (B) in connection with the environmental process relating to specific projects; and (C) into the commission's rulemaking procedures; and (5) require a person who makes or submits a public comment, at the time the comment is made or disclosed, to disclose in writing on a witness card whether the person: (A) does business with the department; (B) may benefit monetarily from a project; or (C) is an employee of the department. (b) The department shall document the number of positive, negative, or neutral public comments received regarding all environmental impact statements as expressed by the public through the department's public involvement process. The department shall: (1) present this information to the commission in an open meeting; and (2) report this information on the department's Internet website in a timely manner. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1345 (S.B. 1420), Sec. 24(a), eff. September 1, 2011.