SRC-JXG C.S.S.B. 913 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 913
76R11920 DRH-DBy: Shapleigh
Border Affairs - Special
4/19/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Mexico is
now the United States' second largest trading partner, and Texas' largest.
In 1997, Texas exports accounted for 43.7 percent of all U.S. shipments to
Mexico, and totaled $31.2 billion, an increase of 15.3 percent over 1996
levels. The rapid expansion of Texas-Mexico trade has placed an enormous
demand on Texas' transportation infrastructure, with almost 80 percent of
all U.S. trade with Mexico passing Texas' ports of entry.  The cities of
Laredo, Brownsville, and El Paso have experienced the greatest increase in
commercial vehicle traffic. C.S.S.B. 913 would require the Texas Department
of Transportation to establish and maintain one-stop border inspection
stations in Brownsville, Laredo, and El Paso to expedite the flow of
traffic at the ports of entry. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 913 creates one-stop border inspection stations in
Brownsville, Laredo, and El Paso. 

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 Chapter 201H, Transportation Code, by adding Section
201.613, as follows: 

Sec. 201.613. ONE-STOP BORDER INSPECTION STATIONS. Requires the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to choose a location for an inspection
station along a major highway at or near a border crossing from Mexico in
Brownsville, Laredo, and El Paso so that all federal, state, and municipal
agencies that regulate the passage of persons or vehicles across the border
at that border crossing may be located in one place. Requires TxDOT to
establish and maintain an inspection station at the locations chosen in
Subsection (a) only if the federal agencies involved in the regulation of
the passage of persons or vehicles at that border crossing agree to the
design of the facility at each location and agree to use the facility at
each location if built. Authorizes TxDOT to enter into agreements with
federal, state, and municipal agencies to accomplish the purpose of this
section. Authorizes an agreement to involve the lease of office space at
the inspection station by TxDOT to the agency. 

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



SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.

Amends Section 201.613, Transportation Code, to require TxDOT to choose a
location for an inspection station along a major highway at or near a
border crossing from Mexico in  Brownsville, in Laredo, and in El Paso so
that all federal, state, and municipal agencies that regulate the passage
of persons or vehicles across the border at that border crossing may be
located in one place. Requires TxDOT to establish and maintain an
inspection station at the locations chosen in Subsection (a) only if the
federal agencies involved in the regulation of the passage of persons or
vehicles at that border crossing agree to the design of the facility at
each location and agree to use the facility at each location if built.
Authorizes TxDOT to enter into agreements with federal, state, and
municipal agencies to accomplish the purpose of this section. Authorizes an
agreement to involve the lease of office space at the inspection station by
TxDOT to the agency. 

SECTION 2. 

 Adds the emergency clause and the effective date of upon passage. Deletes
SECTION 3.