SRC-JXG S.B. 304 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 304
76R2472 DB-DBy: Truan
Border Affairs - Special
2/15/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law does not provide any guidelines for coordinating or
conducting colonia initiatives. This bill would establish a mechanism to
improve cooperation between state agencies that coordinate colonia
initiatives.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 304 authorizes interagency coordination of colonia
initiatives. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Title 7, Government Code, by adding Chapter 775, as
follows: 

CHAPTER 775. COORDINATION OF COLONIA INITIATIVES

 Sec. 775.001. DEFINITIONS. Defines "agency" and "colonia." 

Sec. 775.002. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION OF COLONIA INITIATIVES. (a) Sets
forth agencies which shall designate an officer or employee of the agency
to serve as the agency's coordinator of colonia initiatives.  

(b) Requires each agency's coordinator of colonia initiatives to be the
equivalent of a deputy executive director at the agency or have direct or
indirect authority over the equivalent of a deputy executive director at
the agency. 

(c) Requires each agency's coordinator of colonia initiatives to coordinate
colonia initiatives within the agency and with the other agencies listed in
Subsection (a). 

(d) Requires the Texas Water Development Board's (TWDB) coordinator of
colonia initiatives to preside over the group of coordinators for purposes
of interagency coordination. 

(e) Requires the group of coordinators to meet at least semiannually at the
call of the TWDB's coordinator or according to a schedule established by
the group. 

(f) Requires representatives of each agency listed in Subsection (a) who
are assigned to duty at an office of the agency near the international
border of this state and whose assigned duties include responsibility for
some aspect of the agency's work with colonias or residents of colonias to
meet with each other according to a schedule established by the
representatives to coordinate colonia initiatives at the local level.
Authorizes representatives from the agencies' offices that serve the same
county or counties to meet together, or representatives from all of the
agencies' offices near the international border to meet together.  

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.