H.B. No. 3426




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)(3) and (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)  The task force may seek and accept grants and donations 
to fulfill its duties.
	(h)  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.
	(i)  This section expires and the task force is abolished 
January 1, 2009.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.                           




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 3426 was passed by the House on May 
13, 2005, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in 
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 3426 on May 27, 2005, by a non-record 
vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   

	
I certify that H.B. No. 3426 was passed by the Senate, with 
amendments, on May 25, 2005, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 
1.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                      Secretary of the Senate   



APPROVED: __________________                                                
 
                Date                                                         




 
         __________________                                              
 
              Governor