By: Shapleigh, Lucio S.B. No. 228 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to requiring certain state agencies to study the state and 1-3 federal mandates affecting the region of the state near the border 1-4 with Mexico. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. (a) State agencies shall conduct studies of the 1-7 state and federal mandates affecting the region of the state near 1-8 the border with Mexico as follows: 1-9 (1) the attorney general's office shall study judicial 1-10 and law enforcement issues, including: 1-11 (A) the impact on law enforcement of the federal 1-12 judicial caseload in the border region, compared to the average 1-13 federal judicial caseload; and 1-14 (B) the effects of illegal drugs on the border 1-15 region; 1-16 (2) the comptroller's office shall study: 1-17 (A) the impact of federal law enforcement on the 1-18 taxes of border residents; and 1-19 (B) the funding this state receives from the 1-20 United States Department of Transportation compared to the volume 1-21 of trade traffic on Texas highways; 1-22 (3) the Texas Department of Banking shall study 1-23 financial policies, including: 1-24 (A) the impact of the loan-to-deposit ratio on 1-25 the economy of the border region; and 2-1 (B) the failure of federal policies to create 2-2 adequate credit markets for the border region; 2-3 (4) the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission 2-4 shall study environmental policies, including: 2-5 (A) the effect of water pollution on the Rio 2-6 Grande; 2-7 (B) the effect of air pollution on the border 2-8 region; and 2-9 (C) the impact of the North American Free Trade 2-10 Agreement on water and wastewater needs for the Border Environment 2-11 Cooperation Commission and the North American Development Bank, as 2-12 established under federal law; 2-13 (5) the Texas Department of Health shall study the 2-14 adverse health effects of pollution on border residents; 2-15 (6) the Texas Department of Transportation shall study 2-16 the transportation infrastructure, including the effect of 2-17 overweight commercial vehicles on border roads; and 2-18 (7) the Texas Workforce Commission shall study North 2-19 American Free Trade Agreement issues, including the effect of the 2-20 agreement on worker displacement in the cities and other areas in 2-21 the border region. 2-22 (b) The comptroller of public accounts, office of the 2-23 attorney general, Texas Department of Banking, Texas Natural 2-24 Resource Conservation Commission, Texas Department of Health, Texas 2-25 Department of Transportation, and Texas Workforce Commission each 2-26 shall file, not later than December 15, 2002, a written report with 3-1 the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of 3-2 representatives that details the results and states the findings of 3-3 the agency's study. 3-4 SECTION 2. This Act expires February 1, 2003. 3-5 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 3-6 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 3-7 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 3-8 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 3-9 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.