BILL ANALYSIS
By: Lucio
Border and International Affairs
Committee Report (Amended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In 2001, the 77th Legislature established the Border Trade Advisory Committee (Committee) under the Texas Transportation Commission (Commission) in order to assist the Commission in defining and developing a strategy and making recommendations for addressing the highest priority border trade transportation challenges. The Commission, in making determinations on the Committee's recommendations, is to consider the importance of trade with the United Mexican States, potential sources of funding for border ports, and the value of trade activity in three Texas Department of Transportation districts adjacent to Texas-Mexico border.
Senate Bill 183 provides the Commission with greater legislative direction in terms of the composition of the Committee and requires a biennial report to the legislature.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1 Amends Section 201.114, Transportation Code, relating to the Border Trade Advisory Committee.
Requires the border commerce coordinator to serve on the Border Trade Advisory Committee (Committee) as presiding officer and requires the Texas Transportation Commission (Commission) to appoint the other members of the Committee. Sets forth the requirements regarding other members to be included.
The Committee is required to make recommendations addressing border trade transportation challenges to the governor.
Chapter 2110 (State Agency Advisory Committees), Government Code, does not apply to the size, composition, or duration of the Border Trade Advisory Committee.
SECTION 2 Amends Section 201.6011, Transportation Code, to require, to the extent possible, the Department of Transportation to coordinate with appropriate entities to develop an integrated international trade corridor plan and include in the plan implementation of the recommendations of the Border Trade Advisory Committee.
The Department of Transportation shall update the plan biennially and report on the implementation of Section 201.6011, Transportation Code, to the presiding officer of each house of legislature no later than December 1 of each even-numbered year.
SECTION 3 The term of a member serving on the Border Trade Advisory Committee immediately preceding the effective date of this Act expires on that date, but the member may be reappointed to the committee.
SECTION 4 The bill takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house. Otherwise, the bill takes effect September 1, 2005.
EFFECTIVE DATE
The bill takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house. Otherwise, the bill takes effect September 1, 2005.
EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENT
Committee amendment No. 1 includes the presiding officer, or the presiding officer's designee, of the policy board of the metropolitan planning organization in the Texas Department of Transportation's Odessa transportation district in the list of individuals which must be included to the extent practicable in the Texas Transportation Commission's Border Trade Advisory Committee.
The committee amendment removes the provision that the metropolitan planning organizations included in the Border Trade Advisory Committee be located adjacent to the border with Mexico in the Texas Department of Transportation's Pharr, Laredo, Odessa, and El Paso transportation districts.