By Raymond H.B. No. 3551
Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to inspection of commercial vehicles from across the
1-3 border.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 201.613, Transportation Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 201.613. [ONE-STOP] BORDER INSPECTION FACILITIES
1-8 [STATIONS]. (a) The department shall erect and maintain eight
1-9 border [choose a location for an] inspection facilities not farther
1-10 than 60 miles from the Rio Grande [station along a major highway at
1-11 or near a border crossing from Mexico] in the Pharr [Brownsville],
1-12 [in] Laredo, and [in] El Paso districts for the inspection of motor
1-13 vehicles after the vehicles have been inspected for compliance with
1-14 federal regulations [so that all federal, state, and municipal
1-15 agencies that regulate the passage of persons or vehicles across
1-16 the border at that border crossing may be located in one place].
1-17 (b) If a facility is to be located in a municipality or a
1-18 municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, the municipality may
1-19 choose the location of the facility [The department shall establish
1-20 and maintain an inspection station at the locations chosen in
1-21 Subsection (a) only if the federal agencies involved in the
1-22 regulation of the passage of persons or vehicles at that border
1-23 crossing agree to the design of the facility at each location and
2-1 agree to use the facility at each location if built].
2-2 (c) The department shall begin construction of the
2-3 facilities at or about the same time and shall take reasonable
2-4 steps to ensure that construction of the facilities progresses
2-5 equally [The department may enter into agreements with federal,
2-6 state, and municipal agencies to accomplish the purpose of this
2-7 section. An agreement may involve the lease of office space at the
2-8 inspection station by the department to the agency].
2-9 (d) Implementation of subsections (a) through (c) is
2-10 suspended if the appropriate agencies that inspect commercial motor
2-11 vehicles entering this state from the United Mexican States and the
2-12 officials of the appropriate agencies in the United Mexican States
2-13 agree to implement a program under which commercial motor vehicles
2-14 are inspected by those state agencies before those vehicles enter
2-15 this state. The period of suspension continues as long as such a
2-16 program is in effect.
2-17 (e) The appropriate state agencies shall initiate efforts to
2-18 develop a program under subsection (d) with the agencies'
2-19 counterparts in the United Mexican States as soon as is practicable
2-20 after the effective date of this act.
2-21 SECTION 2. The Texas Department of Transportation shall spend
2-22 the money appropriated during the 76th Legislature for Section
2-23 201.613, Transportation Code, as added by Chapter 1527, Acts of the
2-24 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, or money received from the
2-25 federal government to establish the border inspection facilities
2-26 under Section 201.613, Transportation Code, as amended by this Act.
3-1 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-2 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-3 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
3-4 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-5 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.