By Truan                                              S.B. No. 1421
       74R8012 DRH-F
                                 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" means only the following:
   1-13                    (A)  the Department of Agriculture;
   1-14                    (B)  the Texas Department of Commerce;
   1-15                    (C)  the Texas Department of Housing and
   1-16  Community Affairs;
   1-17                    (D)  the Texas Public Finance Authority;
   1-18                    (E)  the Texas Turnpike Authority; or
   1-19                    (F)  the Texas Water Development Board.
   1-20        Sec. 792.002.  AGREEMENTS WITH MEXICO.  A state agency or a
   1-21  political subdivision may, to the extent permitted under federal
   1-22  law, enter an agreement under this chapter with:
   1-23              (1)  the United Mexican States or a political
   1-24  subdivision of the United Mexican States;
    2-1              (2)  an agency of the United States; or
    2-2              (3)  an agency or entity that is created under a treaty
    2-3  between the United States and the United Mexican States.
    2-4        Sec. 792.003.  SCOPE OF AGREEMENT.  A state agency or a
    2-5  political subdivision may enter an agreement under this chapter
    2-6  only if the agreement is for the accomplishment of a function that
    2-7  the agency or political subdivision is authorized to perform under
    2-8  other law.
    2-9        Sec. 792.004.  TERMS.  Under an agreement authorized by this
   2-10  chapter, a political subdivision or a state agency may:
   2-11              (1)  acquire or dispose of in any manner available to
   2-12  the state agency or political subdivision under other law an
   2-13  interest in real property in this state or the United Mexican
   2-14  States;
   2-15              (2)  use any funds of the state agency or political
   2-16  subdivision that are not otherwise dedicated by law for another
   2-17  purpose to accomplish the purposes of the agreement;
   2-18              (3)  use any equipment, facilities, or other property
   2-19  of the state agency or political subdivision to carry out the
   2-20  agreement; or
   2-21              (4)  agree to any other terms that are not prohibited
   2-22  under state or federal law.
   2-23        Sec. 792.005.  BONDS.  A state agency or a political
   2-24  subdivision may issue bonds or other evidence of indebtedness to
   2-25  provide financing for an agreement under this chapter to the same
   2-26  extent and in the same manner that the agency or political
   2-27  subdivision is authorized to issue the bonds or other evidence of
    3-1  indebtedness to perform the activity on its own behalf.
    3-2        Sec. 792.006.  APPROVAL OF THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATIVE
    3-3  BUDGET BOARD.  An agreement made by a state agency under this
    3-4  chapter is not valid unless it is approved by the governor and the
    3-5  Legislative Budget Board.
    3-6        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-7  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-8  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-9  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-10  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   3-11  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   3-12  passage, and it is so enacted.