By Van de Putte                                       H.B. No. 1355
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the making of, and the issuance of bonds for,
    1-3  international cooperation agreements by state agencies and
    1-4  political subdivisions.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding
    1-7  Chapter 792 to read as follows:
    1-8          CHAPTER 792.  INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGREEMENTS
    1-9        Sec. 792.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
   1-10              (1)  "Political subdivision" has the meaning assigned
   1-11  by Section 791.003.
   1-12              (2)  "State agency" has the meaning assigned by Section
   1-13  783.003.
   1-14        Sec. 792.002.  AGREEMENTS WITH MEXICO.  A state agency or a
   1-15  political subdivision may, to the extent permitted under federal
   1-16  law, enter an agreement under this chapter with:
   1-17              (1)  the United Mexican States or a political
   1-18  subdivision of the United Mexican States;
   1-19              (2)  an agency of the United States; or
   1-20              (3)  an agency or entity that is created under a treaty
   1-21  between the United States and the United Mexican States.
   1-22        Sec. 792.003.  SCOPE OF AGREEMENT.  A state agency or a
   1-23  political subdivision may enter an agreement under this chapter
    2-1  only if the agreement is for the accomplishment of a function that
    2-2  the agency or political subdivision is authorized to perform under
    2-3  other law.
    2-4        Sec. 792.004.  TERMS.  Under an agreement authorized by this
    2-5  chapter, a political subdivision or a state agency may:
    2-6              (1)  acquire or dispose of in any manner available to
    2-7  the state agency or political subdivision under other law an
    2-8  interest in real property in this state or the United Mexican
    2-9  States;
   2-10              (2)  use any funds of the state agency or political
   2-11  subdivision that are not otherwise dedicated by law for another
   2-12  purpose to accomplish the purposes of the agreement;
   2-13              (3)  use any equipment, facilities, or other property
   2-14  of the state agency or political subdivision to carry out the
   2-15  agreement; or
   2-16              (4)  agree to any other terms that are not prohibited
   2-17  under state or federal law.
   2-18        Sec. 792.005.  BONDS.  A state agency or a political
   2-19  subdivision may issue bonds or other evidence of indebtedness to
   2-20  provide financing for an agreement under this chapter to the same
   2-21  extent that the agency or political subdivision is authorized to
   2-22  issue the bonds or other evidence of indebtedness to perform the
   2-23  activity on its own behalf.
   2-24        Sec. 792.006.  APPROVAL OF TEXAS BOND REVIEW BOARD.  An
   2-25  agreement made by a state agency under this chapter is not valid
    3-1  unless it is approved by the Texas Bond Review Board.
    3-2        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-3  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-4  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-5  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-6  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    3-7  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    3-8  passage, and it is so enacted.