By Cuellar H.B. No. 55
76R326 KLA-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of a state agency to promote economic
1-3 development in the region bordering the Rio Grande.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle F, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
1-6 by adding Chapter 487 to read as follows:
1-7 CHAPTER 487. BORDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
1-8 SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1-9 Sec. 487.001. FINDINGS. The legislature finds that:
1-10 (1) the border region has special needs relating to
1-11 economic development;
1-12 (2) those needs are a result of factors created by the
1-13 proximity of the region to an international border; and
1-14 (3) efforts to promote the economic development of the
1-15 region will benefit the whole state.
1-16 Sec. 487.002. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
1-17 (1) "Authority" means the Border Economic Development
1-18 Authority.
1-19 (2) "Commission" means the Border Economic Development
1-20 Commission.
1-21 (3) "Border region" means the area composed of the
1-22 counties that have any part of their boundaries located within 40
1-23 miles of an international border.
1-24 Sec. 487.003. BORDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. The
2-1 Border Economic Development Authority is an agency of the state.
2-2 Sec. 487.004. SUNSET PROVISION. The authority is subject to
2-3 Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued
2-4 in existence as provided by that chapter, the authority is
2-5 abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2011.
2-6 Sec. 487.005. BORDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
2-7 COMMISSION. (a) The commission is the governing body of the
2-8 authority.
2-9 (b) The commission is composed of the following 12 persons
2-10 appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the
2-11 senate:
2-12 (1) a representative of:
2-13 (A) the governor;
2-14 (B) a public institution of higher education
2-15 located in the border region;
2-16 (C) the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
2-17 Commission;
2-18 (D) the Texas Department of Health;
2-19 (E) the Texas Department of Transportation;
2-20 (F) the Department of Public Safety of the State
2-21 of Texas;
2-22 (G) the Texas Department of Economic
2-23 Development; and
2-24 (H) the attorney general;
2-25 (2) a recognized bond counsel;
2-26 (3) a recognized financial advisor;
2-27 (4) a representative of an appropriate federal agency;
3-1 and
3-2 (5) a representative of the states within the United
3-3 Mexican States that border this state.
3-4 (c) Members of the commission serve six-year staggered
3-5 terms, with one-third of the members' terms expiring February 1 of
3-6 each odd-numbered year.
3-7 (d) If a vacancy occurs on the commission, the governor
3-8 shall appoint a person to serve for the remainder of the unexpired
3-9 term in the same manner as the original appointment.
3-10 (e) A member of the commission is not entitled to
3-11 compensation but is entitled to reimbursement of the travel
3-12 expenses incurred by the member while conducting the business of
3-13 the commission, as provided in the General Appropriations Act.
3-14 Sec. 487.006. PRESIDING OFFICER; MEETINGS. (a) The
3-15 governor shall name a member of the commission to serve as the
3-16 presiding officer.
3-17 (b) The commission shall meet at the call of the presiding
3-18 officer.
3-19 Sec. 487.007. DIVISIONS. The commission may create one or
3-20 more divisions within the authority to help the authority in
3-21 carrying out its powers and duties.
3-22 Sec. 487.008. PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDS. (a) The state
3-23 agencies and state institutions represented on the commission shall
3-24 pay the costs of the authority and shall provide:
3-25 (1) staff, equipment, and supplies; and
3-26 (2) clerical and support services.
3-27 (b) The authority may seek and accept other sources of
4-1 funding and staff, including private and federal funding,
4-2 volunteers, grants from the United States Agency for International
4-3 Development, and loans from the World Bank.
4-4 (c) The authority may use the staff, equipment, supplies,
4-5 and services of an agency represented on the commission and other
4-6 sources of funding as necessary to perform the authority's powers
4-7 and duties under this chapter.
4-8 (d) Disbursement of funds received by the authority shall be
4-9 made in accordance with a disbursement policy adopted by the
4-10 commission subject to the laws of this state and the policies of
4-11 the state agencies and state institutions represented on the
4-12 commission.
4-13 SUBCHAPTER B. POWERS AND DUTIES OF AUTHORITY
4-14 Sec. 487.051. POWERS AND DUTIES RELATING TO PLANS AND
4-15 OBJECTIVES. (a) The authority shall develop:
4-16 (1) a plan for a program to address trade, health care
4-17 quality, job training, education, environmental protection, and
4-18 economic development in the border region;
4-19 (2) a plan to improve the access that persons in the
4-20 border region have to capital markets;
4-21 (3) a specific plan to meet the requirements of the
4-22 North American Free Trade Agreement;
4-23 (4) a timetable for achieving financial
4-24 self-sufficiency for the border region; and
4-25 (5) objectives for the authority.
4-26 (b) The authority may develop a plan to address a specific
4-27 issue in the border region, including a plan to:
5-1 (1) extend and enhance formal education from
5-2 kindergarten through graduate school;
5-3 (2) protect the air quality and the water of the Rio
5-4 Grande;
5-5 (3) limit toxic and hazardous waste risks;
5-6 (4) deliver standard inoculations and public health
5-7 services to the residents;
5-8 (5) assess and provide skills training to meet current
5-9 and future job skills requirements; or
5-10 (6) meet the infrastructure and trade needs relating
5-11 to the North American Free Trade Agreement.
5-12 Sec. 487.052. IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAN. The authority may
5-13 take any action necessary to implement a plan developed under
5-14 Section 487.051.
5-15 Sec. 487.053. REPORT. (a) Not later than January 15 of
5-16 each odd-numbered year, the authority shall provide to the governor
5-17 and the legislature a report.
5-18 (b) The report must:
5-19 (1) summarize the actions and progress of the
5-20 authority during the preceding two years; and
5-21 (2) suggest any action the commission believes is
5-22 necessary to further the functions of the authority.
5-23 SECTION 2. (a) In making the initial appointments to the
5-24 Border Economic Development Commission, the governor shall
5-25 designate four members for terms expiring February 1, 2001, four
5-26 members for terms expiring February 1, 2003, and four members for
5-27 terms expiring February 1, 2005.
6-1 (b) The Border Economic Development Authority shall submit
6-2 the first report under Section 487.053, Government Code, as added
6-3 by this Act, not later than January 15, 2001.
6-4 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
6-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
6-9 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
6-10 passage, and it is so enacted.