By Lucio S.B. No. 326
77R3772 ATP-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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. In this Act:
1-6 (1) "Department" means the Texas Department of
1-7 Economic Development.
1-8 (2) "Initiative unit" means the Texas-Mexico Commerce
1-9 and International Relations Initiative Unit.
1-10 SECTION 2. (a) The department shall appoint to serve on the
1-11 Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations Initiative Unit
1-12 at least one representative of the department and at least one
1-13 representative from the staff of each of the following agencies:
1-14 (1) Texas Department of Health;
1-15 (2) Texas Water Development Board;
1-16 (3) Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission;
1-17 (4) Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs;
1-18 (5) Health and Human Services Commission;
1-19 (6) Parks and Wildlife Department;
1-20 (7) Texas Department of Transportation; and
1-21 (8) Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas.
1-22 (b) The department shall designate one of the members of the
1-23 initiative unit to serve as the presiding officer of the unit.
1-24 (c) The department, with the assistance of the initiative
2-1 unit, shall coordinate efforts with each of the agencies
2-2 represented by the initiative unit to:
2-3 (1) study the trade relations between this state and
2-4 Mexico and between this state and the states that border this
2-5 state; and
2-6 (2) develop the Texas-Mexico Commerce and
2-7 International Relations Coordinated Plan to propose a course of
2-8 action that the state, including the department and each agency
2-9 represented by the initiative unit, should take.
2-10 (d) The Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations
2-11 Coordinated Plan shall include recommendations on what the state
2-12 can do to:
2-13 (1) increase and improve trade with Mexico and with
2-14 the states that border this state;
2-15 (2) increase tourism to and from Mexico and tourism to
2-16 and from the states that border this state; and
2-17 (3) address any important trade problems between this
2-18 state and Mexico identified by the initiative unit.
2-19 (e) Each agency represented by the initiative unit shall
2-20 submit quarterly reports to the department regarding the actions
2-21 taken by the agency on behalf of the initiative unit or in
2-22 furtherance of a plan or recommendation of the initiative unit,
2-23 including:
2-24 (1) the status of projects;
2-25 (2) the funding of expenditures;
2-26 (3) the planning and research done;
2-27 (4) the community and technical assistance provided;
3-1 (5) the information collected; and
3-2 (6) the direct role of the agency in promoting the
3-3 economic development of this state through increased trade with and
3-4 tourism to and from Mexico and the states that border this state.
3-5 (f) The department shall form a partnership with the
3-6 agencies represented by the initiative unit to ensure that the
3-7 Texas Business and Community Economic Development Clearinghouse has
3-8 current knowledge of the Texas-Mexico Commerce and International
3-9 Relations Coordinated Plan and the actions taken by the initiative
3-10 unit and the agencies represented by the initiative unit.
3-11 (g) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
3-12 initiative unit.
3-13 SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2002, the department
3-14 shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of
3-15 the house of representatives a detailed written report of the
3-16 Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations Coordinated Plan
3-17 and the results of its study, accompanied by recommended solutions
3-18 to any problems identified by the initiative unit and
3-19 recommendations for legislative action.
3-20 SECTION 4. This Act expires November 1, 2002.
3-21 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-22 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-23 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
3-24 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-25 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.