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.