1-1     By:  Oliveira, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Shapleigh)     H.B. No. 564
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 1999;
 1-3     May 10, 1999, read first time and referred to Special Committee on
 1-4     Border Affairs; May 13, 1999, reported favorably by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 13, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to a border advocacy division established by the governor.
 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10           SECTION 1.  Chapter 772, Government Code, is amended by
1-11     adding Section 772.010 to read as follows:
1-12           Sec. 772.010.  BORDER ADVOCACY DIVISION.  (a)  The governor
1-13     shall establish a border advocacy division in the governor's office
1-14     or the office of the secretary of state as determined by the
1-15     governor.  The division shall:
1-16                 (1)  examine trade issues between the United States,
1-17     Mexico, and Canada;
1-18                 (2)  act as an ombudsman for government agencies within
1-19     the Texas and Mexico border region to help reduce regulations by
1-20     improving communication and cooperation between federal, state, and
1-21     local governments;
1-22                 (3)  work with federal officials to resolve
1-23     transportation issues involving infrastructure, including roads and
1-24     bridges, to allow for the efficient movement of goods and people
1-25     across the border between Texas and Mexico;
1-26                 (4)  work with federal officials to create a unified
1-27     federal agency process to streamline border crossing needs;
1-28                 (5)  work to increase funding for the North American
1-29     Development Bank to assist in the financing of water and wastewater
1-30     facilities; and
1-31                 (6)  explore the sale of excess electric power from
1-32     Texas to Mexico.
1-33           (b)  The governor shall appoint a director for the division
1-34     to serve at the will of the governor in the governor's office or in
1-35     the office of the secretary of state and may select the secretary
1-36     of state as the  director.
1-37           SECTION 2.  Funds appropriated by the 76th Legislature to the
1-38     governor's office for the purpose of implementing Section 772.010,
1-39     Government Code, as added by this Act, shall be transferred to the
1-40     secretary of state's office if the border advocacy division is
1-41     established in the secretary of state's office.
1-42           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-43     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-44     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-45     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-46     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-47     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-48     passage, and it is so enacted.
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