HBA-DMD C.S.S.B. 1375 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1375 By: Shapleigh State, Federal, & International Relations 4/30/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Mexico is currently the United States' second-largest trading partner and Texas' largest. Texas exports accounted for 43.7 percent of all 1997 U.S. shipments to Mexico and totaled $31.2 billion, an increase of 15.3 percent over 1996 export levels. With almost 80 percent of all U.S. trade with Mexico passing through Texas ports of entry, the growth of Texas-Mexico trade has brought severe traffic congestion at crossings on the Texas-Mexico border. This congestion delays the shipment of raw materials and finished goods, hampering commerce. Congestion at the border also contributes to air pollution and pavement damage. There are a number of factors responsible for congestion at border crossings. State agencies with a presence at the border include the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Department of Insurance, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, and the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (comptroller). Each agency generally has its own rules and procedures, and coordination between agencies present at the Texas border is limited. S.B. 1375 requires the comptroller to conduct a study of the movement of commercial vehicles across the border between this state and Mexico to determine how separation of state government functions involving regulation of commerce from functions involving detection and prevention would reduce congestion and enhance the effective movement of vehicles. S.B. 1375 also requires the comptroller to develop recommendations for accomplishing this separation and creating a model for the continuing independent operation of those functions. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. (a) Requires the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) to conduct a study of movement of commercial vehicles across the border between this state and Mexico in order to determine how separation of state government functions involving regulation of commerce from functions involving detection and prevention of crime would reduce congestion and enhance the effective movement of those vehicles. Requires the comptroller to develop recommendations for the manner of accomplishing this separation and a model for the continuing independent operation of those functions. (b) Authorizes the comptroller, in cooperation with the office of the governor, to consult, exchange information not confidential under the law of this state, and otherwise work jointly with relevant agencies of federal, state, or local government to the extent the comptroller considers appropriate for purposes of this Act. (c) Requires the comptroller to submit the results of the study and the comptroller's recommendations and model to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives, before January 1, 2001. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.