AN ACT 1-1 relating to the establishment and maintenance of one-stop border 1-2 inspection stations by the Texas Department of Transportation in 1-3 Brownsville, Laredo, and El Paso. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 201, Transportation Code, 1-6 is amended by adding Section 201.613 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 201.613. ONE-STOP BORDER INSPECTION STATIONS. (a) The 1-8 department shall choose a location for an inspection station along 1-9 a major highway at or near a border crossing from Mexico in 1-10 Brownsville, in Laredo, and in El Paso so that all federal, state, 1-11 and municipal agencies that regulate the passage of persons or 1-12 vehicles across the border at that border crossing may be located 1-13 in one place. 1-14 (b) The department shall establish and maintain an 1-15 inspection station at the locations chosen in Subsection (a) only 1-16 if the federal agencies involved in the regulation of the passage 1-17 of persons or vehicles at that border crossing agree to the design 1-18 of the facility at each location and agree to use the facility at 1-19 each location if built. 1-20 (c) The department may enter into agreements with federal, 1-21 state, and municipal agencies to accomplish the purpose of this 1-22 section. An agreement may involve the lease of office space at the 1-23 inspection station by the department to the agency. 1-24 SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Transportation shall 2-1 spend at least $8 million but not more than $9 million of the funds 2-2 that are appropriated to the department by House Bill No. 1, Acts 2-3 of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999 (the General 2-4 Appropriations Act), for the biennium beginning September 1, 1999, 2-5 or that are received from the federal government, for the 2-6 preliminary costs associated with establishing the facilities 2-7 required by Section 201.613, Transportation Code, as added by this 2-8 Act, including the design, site selection, purchase, and 2-9 construction-related costs of the facilities. The department shall 2-10 apportion the funds in a manner to achieve approximately equal 2-11 progress in the establishment of the facilities at each location. 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. S.B. No. 913 ________________________________ ________________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.B. No. 913 passed the Senate on April 27, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0; May 25, 1999, Senate refused to concur in House amendment and requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 26, 1999, House granted request of the Senate; May 30, 1999, Senate adopted Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. _______________________________ Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.B. No. 913 passed the House, with amendment, on May 23, 1999, by a non-record vote; May 26, 1999, House granted request of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee; May 30, 1999, House adopted Conference Committee Report by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Approved: ________________________________ Date ________________________________ Governor