79R3781 DWS-F

By:  Zaffirini, Lucio                                             S.B. No. 569
 
    Hinojosa, Shapleigh                                                      



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to meetings between representatives of the Texas 
Department of Transportation and Mexican states on transportation 
and truck inspection issues.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 201.207, Transportation Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	Sec. 201.207.  CROSS-BORDER TRANSPORTATION AND 
INFRASTRUCTURE MEETINGS.  (a) The department shall [initiate 
efforts to] meet at least quarterly [semiannually] with the 
department's counterparts in those states of the United Mexican 
States that border this state to discuss issues relating to truck 
inspections and transportation and infrastructure involved in 
truck inspections and transportation [issues.  To the extent 
practicable, the department shall meet at least semiannually with 
its counterparts in those bordering states to discuss 
transportation and infrastructure issues].
	(b)  To assist the department in carrying out this section, 
the department shall contact the United States ambassador to 
Mexico, the border commerce coordinator designated under Section 
772.010, Government Code, this state's members of the United States 
House of Representatives and Senate, and the mayors of each 
municipality in this state in which a port of entry for land traffic 
is located.
	(c)  Department representatives participating in a meeting 
under Subsection (a) must be proficient in Spanish.
	(d)  Not later than the 14th day after the date of the end of 
each meeting under Subsection (a), the department shall submit to 
the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of 
representatives, and each other member of the legislature a report 
including:
		(1)  documentation of the views, concerns, and 
recommendations of the persons participating in the meeting; and
		(2)  the minutes of the meeting.                                       
	(e)  Based on information obtained from the meetings under 
Subsection (a), the department, in conjunction with the border 
commerce coordinator, shall develop short-range and long-range 
plans, including recommendations to increase bilateral relations 
with Mexico and expedite trade by mitigating delays in border 
crossing inspections for northbound truck traffic. The department 
shall update the plan biennially and submit the updated plan to the 
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, 
and each other member of the legislature on or before December 1 of 
each even-numbered year.
	SECTION 2.  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, 2005.