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.