SRC-JXG S.C.R. 40 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.C.R. 40 76R5678 CCK-DBy: Shapleigh Border Affairs - Special 4/21/1999 As Filed DIGEST Currently, Texas legislators participate in the National Conference of State Legislatures, the Southern Legislative Conference, and other interstate forums as a means of discussing issues and exchanging information on issues common to Texas and counterpart U.S. state governments. Collaboration with the four Mexican states located along the Rio Grande border has been less formal and less frequent, than is the case with our domestic legislative colleagues. The governments of Texas and the Mexican bordering states share challenges, with the advent of NAFTA, relating to education, health, infrastructure, trade and economic development, workforce development, and environmental protection. It is imperative that international relations be cemented at the federal and state level. The goal is to establish a multilevel governmental framework through which the five states could launch, coordinate, and complete projects to develop the border region and improve the quality of life for residents of both countries. The Texas Legislature finds such a goal to be commendable and consequently beckons its presiding officers to approach their Mexican border state counterparts to explore a forum for productive international legislative discussion. S.C.R. 40 would require the appropriate Texas legislative committees and their counterparts in the Mexican legislature of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas, to establish communications on issues pertinent to the region. PURPOSE As proposed, S.C.R. 40 submits the following resolution: That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby request the lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of representatives to initiate efforts toward convening joint sessions among members of the appropriate legislative committees in this state, and their counterparts in the legislatures of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and Tamaulipas, to establish communications on issues pertinent to the region.