79R15457 UM-F
By: Chavez, Moreno of El Paso, Haggerty, H.B. No. 3426
Gonzales, Guillen
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a binational alcohol and substance
abuse task force.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 12, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 12.072 to read as follows:
Sec. 12.072. BINATIONAL ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE TASK
FORCE. (a) The binational alcohol and substance abuse task force
is created to study:
(1) the effect of substance abuse on residents living
near the border, with emphasis on residents who are at least 14
years of age but younger than 26 years of age;
(2) hereditary factors that may contribute to a
predisposition to alcohol dependency;
(3) the contributing factors of binge drinking by both
minors and persons of legal drinking age and the effects on health
and the community of binge drinking; and
(4) the effect on the community of drug traffickers
using young residents living near the border to transport illegal
drugs into the United States.
(b) The task force consists of:
(1) five members of the house of representatives each
of whom represents a district wholly or partly located 25 miles or
less from the international border, appointed by the speaker of the
house of representatives;
(2) five members of the senate each of whom represents
a district wholly or partly located 25 miles or less from the
international border, appointed by the lieutenant governor;
(3) three district attorneys or their representatives
from different locations along the international border;
(4) the commissioner of the Department of State Health
Services or a representative of the commissioner designated by the
commissioner;
(5) the public safety director of the Department of
Public Safety or a representative of the public safety director
designated by the public safety director;
(6) three representatives of the public from different
locations along the international border who have significant
experience working in substance abuse and intervention programs in
a county on that border;
(7) three representatives employed by a local law
enforcement agency that has jurisdiction extending to the
international border;
(8) one member from each of the following
organizations:
(A) the State Bar of Texas;
(B) the Mexican American Bar Association; and
(C) a nonprofit organization with significant
experience in issues prevalent in the border region; and
(9) three licensed physicians from different
locations along the international border.
(c) The task force may invite individuals from any state in
the United Mexican States that borders Texas, with qualifications
similar to those of members of the task force, to participate as
members of the task force in task force activities.
(d) The task force may invite federal agencies with
jurisdiction over alcohol and illegal drug laws to participate as
members of the task force in task force activities.
(e) The task force has a chairperson and vice chairperson as
presiding officers. The chairperson and vice chairperson alternate
each year between the two membership groups appointed by the
lieutenant governor and the speaker. The chairperson and vice
chairperson may not be from the same membership group. The
lieutenant governor shall designate a presiding officer from the
appointed senate membership group and the speaker shall designate
the other presiding officer from the appointed house of
representatives membership group. The speaker of the house of
representatives shall appoint the first chairperson, who will serve
until January 1, 2007.
(f) The chairperson and vice chairperson shall nominate the
members of the task force in Subsections (b)(6) through (9). Those
members of the task force are appointed if a majority of the other
members of the task force approve their appointment.
(g) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year,
the task force shall submit a report to the governor and the
legislature regarding any recommendations or findings related to
the duties of the task force.
(h) This section expires and the task force is abolished
January 1, 2009.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.