By:  Raymond                                                      H.B. No. 3554



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to motor vehicle inspection facilities near the border of 
this state and Mexico.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 201.613, Transportation Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	Sec. 201.613.  [ONE-STOP] BORDER INSPECTION FACILITIES
[STATIONS].  (a)  The department shall erect and maintain eight 
border [choose a location for an] inspection facilities not farther 
than 60 miles from the Rio Grande [station along a major highway at 
or near a border crossing from Mexico] in the Pharr [Brownsville], 
[in] Laredo, and [in] El Paso districts for the inspection of  motor 
vehicles after the vehicles have been inspected for compliance with 
federal regulations [so that all federal, state, and municipal 
agencies that regulate the passage of persons or vehicles across 
the border at that border crossing may be located in one place].
	(b)  If a facility serves a bridge system that has more than 
500,000 commercial border crossings per year is to be located in a 
municipality or a municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction, 
the municipality may choose the location of the facility within the 
municipality or the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction.  
The city shall choose the location within 180 days of a request by 
the department to do so. [The department shall establish and 
maintain an inspection station at the locations chosen in 
Subsection (a) only if the federal agencies involved in the 
regulation of the passage of persons or vehicles at that border 
crossing agree to the design of the facility at each location and 
agree to use the facility at each location if built].
	(c)  The department shall begin construction of the 
facilities at or about the same time and shall take reasonable steps 
to ensure that construction of the facilities progresses equally 
[The department may enter into agreements with federal, state, and 
municipal agencies to accomplish the purpose of this section. An 
agreement may involve the lease of office space at the inspection 
station by the department to the agency].
	SECTION 2.  The Texas Department of Transportation shall 
spend the money appropriated during the 76th Legislature for 
Section 201.613, Transportation Code, as added by Chapter 1527, 
Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, or money 
received from the federal government to establish the border 
inspection facilities under Section 201.613, Transportation Code, 
as amended by this Act.
	SECTION 3.   This Act takes effect immediately if it 
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each 
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate 
effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.