By Oliveira, Pickett, Chavez, Seaman, et al.           H.B. No. 564
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a border advocacy division established by the governor.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 772, Government Code, is amended by
 1-5     adding Section 772.010 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 772.010.  BORDER ADVOCACY DIVISION.  (a)  The governor
 1-7     shall establish a border advocacy division in the governor's office
 1-8     or the office of the secretary of state as determined by the
 1-9     governor.  The division shall:
1-10                 (1)  examine trade issues between the United States,
1-11     Mexico, and Canada;
1-12                 (2)  act as an ombudsman for government agencies within
1-13     the Texas and Mexico border region to help reduce regulations by
1-14     improving communication and cooperation between federal, state, and
1-15     local governments;
1-16                 (3)  work with federal officials to resolve
1-17     transportation issues involving infrastructure, including roads and
1-18     bridges, to allow for the efficient movement of goods and people
1-19     across the border between Texas and Mexico;
1-20                 (4)  work with federal officials to create a unified
1-21     federal agency process to streamline border crossing needs;
1-22                 (5)  work to increase funding for the North American
1-23     Development Bank to assist in the financing of water and wastewater
1-24     facilities; and
 2-1                 (6)  explore the sale of excess electric power from
 2-2     Texas to Mexico.
 2-3           (b)  The governor shall appoint a director for the division
 2-4     to serve at the will of the governor in the governor's office or in
 2-5     the office of the secretary of state and may select the secretary
 2-6     of state as the  director.
 2-7           SECTION 2.  Funds appropriated by the 76th Legislature to the
 2-8     governor's office for the purpose of implementing Section 772.010,
 2-9     Government Code, as added by this Act, shall be transferred to the
2-10     secretary of state's office if the border advocacy division is
2-11     established in the secretary of state's office.
2-12           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-17     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-18     passage, and it is so enacted.