1-1 By: Truan, Zaffirini S.B. No. 1599
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 17, 1995; March 22, 1995, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on International Relations,
1-4 Trade, and Technology; March 29, 1995, reported favorably by the
1-5 following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; March 29, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the creation of the Texas-Mexico Border Environmental
1-9 Education Council.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Chapter 11, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-12 Subchapter I to read as follows:
1-13 SUBCHAPTER I. TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER
1-14 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION COUNCIL
1-15 Sec. 11.971. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "council"
1-16 means the Texas-Mexico Border Environmental Education Council.
1-17 Sec. 11.972. TEXAS-MEXICO BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
1-18 COUNCIL. (a) The Texas-Mexico Border Environmental Education
1-19 Council is created under the jurisdiction of the agency.
1-20 (b) The council consists of:
1-21 (1) six members appointed by the governor, one member
1-22 from each of the five border regional education service centers and
1-23 one member appointed at large; and
1-24 (2) the directors of the Region 1 and Region 19
1-25 education service centers, who serve ex officio.
1-26 (c) The at-large member serves as the presiding officer of
1-27 the council.
1-28 (d) The Region 1 and Region 19 education service centers
1-29 shall coordinate the council.
1-30 Sec. 11.973. COMPENSATION. Service on the council by a
1-31 state officer or employee is an additional duty of a council
1-32 member's office or employment. A council member is not entitled to
1-33 compensation as a council member but is entitled to reimbursement
1-34 of the member's travel expenses under provisions in the General
1-35 Appropriations Act.
1-36 Sec. 11.974. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The council shall:
1-37 (1) establish a communication network among
1-38 governmental and private entities in order to broaden and
1-39 facilitate the exchange of ideas and planning strategies to find
1-40 workable solutions to environmental conditions along the
1-41 Texas-Mexico border;
1-42 (2) create environmental education programs informally
1-43 through state agencies, community-based groups, and industry;
1-44 (3) jointly implement, with public schools and
1-45 communities, school and community outreach workshops to:
1-46 (A) address environmental problems in the
1-47 community and the region;
1-48 (B) increase environmental awareness among
1-49 children and adults; and
1-50 (C) develop skills in adults and children to
1-51 enable them to actively promote conservation and pollution
1-52 prevention measures;
1-53 (4) suggest mechanisms to guarantee local involvement
1-54 in identifying urban and economic development plans that could
1-55 affect community residents' physical environment;
1-56 (5) study and compare state legislative initiatives in
1-57 the United States and Mexico that support environmental programs;
1-58 (6) encourage the establishment of enterprises or
1-59 technologies that promote sustainable development;
1-60 (7) develop a border environmental programs resource
1-61 directory;
1-62 (8) develop and implement mechanisms for coordinating
1-63 council proposals across the Texas-Mexico border and among Mexican
1-64 states, including proposals for comprehensive courses on the
1-65 environment and conservation in schools in the Mexican border
1-66 states; and
1-67 (9) examine the possibility of formal cooperation with
1-68 international environmental institutions, including the Border
2-1 Environment Cooperation Commission and the U.S.-Mexico Border
2-2 Health Commission.
2-3 (b) The council may create environmental education programs
2-4 through optional formal curriculum courses in public schools and
2-5 institutions of higher education.
2-6 (c) The council shall coordinate its activities with any
2-7 appropriate advisory committee established by the agency under
2-8 Subchapter H and with the Office of Texas-Mexico Health and
2-9 Environmental Issues established under Subchapter F, Chapter 12,
2-10 Health and Safety Code.
2-11 Sec. 11.975. PARTICIPATION BY AGENCIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF
2-12 HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) The following entities shall coordinate
2-13 with the council in order to implement this subchapter:
2-14 (1) the agency;
2-15 (2) the Parks and Wildlife Department;
2-16 (3) the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
2-17 Commission;
2-18 (4) any border institution of higher education
2-19 designated by the council; and
2-20 (5) any other state agency designated by the council.
2-21 (b) In this section, "institution of higher education" has
2-22 the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
2-23 Sec. 11.976. GIFTS AND GRANTS. (a) The council may accept
2-24 gifts and grants made to the council for the purposes of this
2-25 subchapter.
2-26 (b) Money received under this section shall be credited to a
2-27 separate account in the general revenue fund and may be used only
2-28 for the purposes of this subchapter. Sections 403.094 and 403.095,
2-29 Government Code, do not apply to the account created under this
2-30 subsection.
2-31 Sec. 11.977. STAFF. The agency may make available to the
2-32 council any agency staff or supplies that the agency considers
2-33 necessary to assist the council in the performance of its duties
2-34 under this subchapter.
2-35 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
2-36 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-37 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-38 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-39 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-40 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-41 passage, and it is so enacted.
2-42 * * * * *