By: Shapleigh S.B. No. 508 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to establishing task forces in certain border communities 1-3 to study impediments to trade in the border region. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: 1-6 (1) "Border region" means the area composed of the 1-7 counties of Brewster, Cameron, Culberson, Dimmit, El Paso, Hidalgo, 1-8 Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Kinney, La Salle, Maverick, Presidio, Starr, 1-9 Terrell, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy, Zapata, and Zavala. 1-10 (2) "Task force" means a border community trade task 1-11 force established under this Act. 1-12 SECTION 2. BORDER COMMUNITY TRADE TASK FORCE. The 1-13 lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of representatives 1-14 shall establish a border community trade task force for each of the 1-15 four municipalities with the largest populations in the border 1-16 region to identify procedural and infrastructure impediments to the 1-17 free flow of trade between the United States and Mexico along the 1-18 border region and make findings and recommendations as considered 1-19 appropriate regarding those trade impediments. 1-20 SECTION 3. MEMBERSHIP; OFFICERS. (a) As soon as 1-21 practicable after the effective date of this Act, the speaker of 1-22 the house of representatives and lieutenant governor jointly shall 1-23 appoint not more than 25 members to serve on each task force. 1-24 (b) Each task force must include: 1-25 (1) one person representing each agency of the United 2-1 States with jurisdiction over international trade, international 2-2 commerce, or transportation issues; 2-3 (2) one person representing each governmental agency 2-4 of Mexico; 2-5 (3) one person representing the Texas Department of 2-6 Transportation; 2-7 (4) one person representing the Department of Public 2-8 Safety of the State of Texas; 2-9 (5) one person representing the interests of local 2-10 customs brokers; 2-11 (6) one person representing the interests of freight 2-12 forwarders; 2-13 (7) one person representing the interests of motor 2-14 carriers; 2-15 (8) one person representing the interests of drayage 2-16 carriers; and 2-17 (9) one person representing the local maquiladora 2-18 industry. 2-19 (c) The speaker of the house of representatives and 2-20 lieutenant governor shall jointly select the presiding officer of 2-21 each task force from among the task force members. A task force 2-22 may designate other officers as the task force considers 2-23 appropriate. 2-24 SECTION 4. ASSISTANCE; EXPENSES. (a) Each task force may 2-25 request assistance and information, other than confidential 2-26 information relating to an individual, from the Department of 3-1 Public Safety of the State of Texas and the Texas Department of 3-2 Transportation. The departments shall provide the assistance and 3-3 information requested to the extent practicable. 3-4 (b) The expenses of each task force, including the 3-5 compensation of necessary staff, may be paid from any appropriate 3-6 funds of the house of representatives and the senate. The 3-7 legislature may appropriate money for the support of each task 3-8 force. 3-9 SECTION 5. TASK FORCE DUTIES. (a) Each task force shall 3-10 study and evaluate the procedures and practices maintained at the 3-11 port of entry between Texas and Mexico nearest to the municipality 3-12 represented by the task force to determine what modifications could 3-13 be made to expedite the flow of trade from Mexico, including: 3-14 (1) identifying the cause of traffic congestion at the 3-15 border crossing from Mexico; 3-16 (2) reviewing customs brokers practices, including the 3-17 batch release process; 3-18 (3) reviewing the drayage business and drayage 3-19 concerns; 3-20 (4) reviewing and considering the standardization of 3-21 the hours of operation for financial institutions, customs brokers, 3-22 United States Customs Service offices, and maquiladoras along the 3-23 Texas-Mexico border; 3-24 (5) determining the feasibility of establishing a 3-25 program authorizing the Department of Public Safety of the State of 3-26 Texas officers or inspectors certified by the department to conduct 4-1 commercial vehicle and driver safety inspections in Mexico; 4-2 (6) reviewing United States Customs Service practices 4-3 to determine what procedures and processes need to be changed to 4-4 permit a precleared Mexican commercial vehicle to bypass the 4-5 primary customs inspection point; 4-6 (7) determining the feasibility of interagency 4-7 agreements that would allow a state agency to administer the laws 4-8 of this state relating to the registration of motor carriers and 4-9 the inspection of commercial motor vehicles for another state 4-10 agency; and 4-11 (8) identifying the federal and state infrastructure 4-12 and manpower resources necessary to expedite the free flow of trade 4-13 across the border crossing from Mexico. 4-14 (b) Each task force shall also study the primary and 4-15 secondary inspection processes relating to motor carrier safety 4-16 regulations and commercial driver's licensure requirements 4-17 administered by the Department of Public Safety of the State of 4-18 Texas to determine which of those processes, regulations, and 4-19 requirements may be automated to expedite the free flow of trade 4-20 across the border crossing from Mexico. 4-21 (c) Each task force shall focus on analyzing current 4-22 situations and developing solutions in anticipation of the removal 4-23 of geographical access barriers on Mexican commercial trucks. 4-24 SECTION 6. REPORTS. Not later than December 31, 2002, each 4-25 task force shall file a report of the task force's activities, 4-26 findings, and recommendations with the lieutenant governor and the 5-1 speaker of the house of representatives. Each report shall include 5-2 any recommendations for legislative or administrative action 5-3 the task force considers appropriate. 5-4 SECTION 7. EXPIRATION. The task forces are abolished and 5-5 this Act expires September 1, 2003. 5-6 SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect 5-7 immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members 5-8 elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, 5-9 Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote 5-10 necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 5-11 2001.