1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to a border commerce coordinator designated by the
1-3 governor.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 772, Government Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Section 772.010 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 772.010. BORDER COMMERCE COORDINATOR. (a) The
1-8 governor shall designate a border commerce coordinator in the
1-9 governor's office or the office of the secretary of state as
1-10 determined by the governor. The coordinator shall:
1-11 (1) examine trade issues between the United States,
1-12 Mexico, and Canada;
1-13 (2) act as an ombudsman for government agencies within
1-14 the Texas and Mexico border region to help reduce regulations by
1-15 improving communication and cooperation between federal, state, and
1-16 local governments;
1-17 (3) work with federal officials to resolve
1-18 transportation issues involving infrastructure, including roads and
1-19 bridges, to allow for the efficient movement of goods and people
1-20 across the border between Texas and Mexico;
1-21 (4) work with federal officials to create a unified
1-22 federal agency process to streamline border crossing needs;
1-23 (5) work to increase funding for the North American
1-24 Development Bank to assist in the financing of water and wastewater
2-1 facilities; and
2-2 (6) explore the sale of excess electric power from
2-3 Texas to Mexico.
2-4 (b) The governor shall appoint a border commerce coordinator
2-5 to serve at the will of the governor in the governor's office or in
2-6 the office of the secretary of state and may select the secretary
2-7 of state as the coordinator.
2-8 SECTION 2. Funds appropriated by the 76th Legislature to the
2-9 governor's office for the purpose of implementing Section 772.010,
2-10 Government Code, as added by this Act, shall be transferred to the
2-11 secretary of state's office if the border commerce coordinator is
2-12 established in the secretary of state's office.
2-13 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-14 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-15 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-16 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-17 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-18 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-19 passage, and it is so enacted.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 564 was passed by the House on May 8,
1999, by a non-record vote; that the House refused to concur in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 564 on May 22, 1999, and requested
the appointment of a conference committee to consider the
differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the
conference committee report on H.B. No. 564 on May 30, 1999, by the
following vote: Yeas 137, Nays 1, 1 present, not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 564 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 20, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
564 on May 30, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor