1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of an initiative unit to develop a
 1-3     Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations Coordinated Plan.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 481, Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding Subchapter CC to read as follows:
 1-7      SUBCHAPTER CC.  TEXAS-MEXICO COMMERCE AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
 1-8                              COORDINATED PLAN
 1-9           Sec. 481.451.  DEFINITION.  In this subchapter, "initiative
1-10     unit" means the Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations
1-11     Initiative Unit.
1-12           Sec. 481.452.  INITIATIVE UNIT.  (a)  The department shall
1-13     appoint to serve on the Texas-Mexico Commerce and International
1-14     Relations Initiative Unit at least one representative of the
1-15     department and at least one representative from the staff of each
1-16     of the following agencies or offices:
1-17                 (1)  Texas Department of Health;
1-18                 (2)  Texas Water Development Board;
1-19                 (3)  Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission;
1-20                 (4)  Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs;
1-21                 (5)  Health and Human Services Commission;
1-22                 (6)  Parks and Wildlife Department;
1-23                 (7)  Texas Department of Transportation;
1-24                 (8)  Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas;
1-25                 (9)  office of the secretary of state;
 2-1                 (10)  Department of Agriculture;
 2-2                 (11)  Texas Department of Insurance;
 2-3                 (12)  Railroad Commission of Texas; and
 2-4                 (13)  office of the comptroller.
 2-5           (b)  The department shall designate one of the members of the
 2-6     initiative unit to serve as the presiding officer of the unit.
 2-7           Sec. 481.453.  COORDINATION OF AGENCIES AND OFFICES.  The
 2-8     department, with the assistance of the initiative unit, shall
 2-9     coordinate efforts with each of the agencies and offices
2-10     represented by the initiative unit to:
2-11                 (1)  study the trade relations between this state and
2-12     Mexico and between this state and the states that border this
2-13     state; and
2-14                 (2)  develop and adopt the Texas-Mexico Commerce and
2-15     International Relations Coordinated Plan to propose a course of
2-16     action that the state, including the department and each agency and
2-17     office represented by the initiative unit, should take.
2-18           Sec. 481.454.  PLANS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.  (a)  The
2-19     Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations Coordinated Plan
2-20     shall include:
2-21                 (1)  short-term recommendations and initiatives that
2-22     the state, including the department and each agency and office
2-23     represented by the initiative unit, may follow after the adoption
2-24     of the plan for the ensuing:
2-25                       (A)  two years; and
2-26                       (B)  four years;
 3-1                 (2)  long-term recommendations and initiatives that the
 3-2     state, including the department and each agency and office
 3-3     represented by the initiative unit, may follow after the adoption
 3-4     of the plan for the ensuing:
 3-5                       (A)  five years;
 3-6                       (B)  10 years; and
 3-7                       (C)  15 years; and
 3-8                 (3)  recommendations on what the state can do to:
 3-9                       (A)  increase and improve trade with Mexico and
3-10     with the states that border this state;
3-11                       (B)  increase tourism to and from Mexico and
3-12     tourism to and from the states that border this state; and
3-13                       (C)  address any important trade problems between
3-14     this state and Mexico identified by the initiative unit.
3-15           (b)  Each agency and office represented by the initiative
3-16     unit may incorporate the applicable recommendations and initiatives
3-17     into the agency's or office's operations.
3-18           Sec. 481.455.  QUARTERLY REPORTS.  Each agency and office
3-19     represented by the initiative unit shall submit quarterly reports
3-20     to the department regarding the actions taken by the agency or
3-21     office on behalf of the initiative unit or in furtherance of a plan
3-22     or recommendation of the initiative unit, including:
3-23                 (1)  the status of projects;
3-24                 (2)  the funding of expenditures;
3-25                 (3)  the planning and research done;
3-26                 (4)  the community and technical assistance provided;
 4-1                 (5)  the information collected; and
 4-2                 (6)  the direct role of the agency or office in
 4-3     promoting the economic development of this state through increased
 4-4     trade with and tourism to and from Mexico and the states that
 4-5     border this state.
 4-6           Sec. 481.456.  PARTNERSHIP TO UPDATE CLEARINGHOUSE.  The
 4-7     department shall form a partnership with the agencies and offices
 4-8     represented by the initiative unit to ensure that the Texas
 4-9     Business and Community Economic Development Clearinghouse has
4-10     current knowledge of the Texas-Mexico Commerce and International
4-11     Relations Coordinated Plan and the actions taken by the initiative
4-12     unit and the agencies and offices represented by the initiative
4-13     unit.
4-14           Sec. 481.457.  STATE AGENCY ADVISORY COMMITTEE PROVISIONS
4-15     INAPPLICABLE.  Chapter 2110 does not apply to the initiative unit.
4-16           Sec. 481.458.  UPDATE OF PLAN.  The initiative unit shall
4-17     adopt an updated Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations
4-18     Coordinated Plan before the fourth anniversary of the date the plan
4-19     is adopted or the date an updated plan is adopted.
4-20           Sec. 481.459.  PERFORMANCE OF FUNCTIONS OF DEPARTMENT.  If
4-21     another state agency or office assumes the functions of the
4-22     department, that agency or office shall perform the functions of
4-23     the department under this subchapter.
4-24           SECTION 2.  Not later than September 1, 2002, the Texas
4-25     Department of Economic Development, or other state agency or office
4-26     that performs the functions of the Texas Department of Economic
 5-1     Development, shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor,
 5-2     speaker of the house of representatives, members of the
 5-3     legislature, and Legislative Budget Board a detailed written report
 5-4     of the Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations
 5-5     Coordinated Plan adopted under Section 481.453, Government Code, as
 5-6     added by this Act, and the results of its study, accompanied by
 5-7     recommended solutions to any problems identified by the
 5-8     Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations Initiative Unit
 5-9     and recommendations for legislative action.
5-10           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
5-11     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
5-12     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
5-13     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
5-14     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 326 passed the Senate on
         April 5, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0, one present
         not voting; and that the Senate concurred in House amendment on
         May 24, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0, one present
         not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 326 passed the House, with
         amendment, on May 17, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 140,
         Nays 0, two present not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                      Date
         _______________________________
                    Governor