79R2218 JRD-D

By:  Jackson                                                      S.B. No. 592



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation of a Texas Gulf Coast Legislative Working 
Group and a Multistate Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 33, Natural Resources Code, is amended 
by adding Subchapter I to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER I.  GULF COAST LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP
	Sec. 33.651.  LEGISLATIVE FINDING.  The legislature finds 
that it would be in the best interests of this state for appropriate 
members of the legislature and the land commissioner together with 
their counterparts in other states bordering the Gulf of Mexico to 
form a Multistate Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group to work 
together and with members of Congress from the Gulf Coast states on 
issues of common concern to the Gulf Coast.
	Sec. 33.652.  TEXAS GULF COAST LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP.  
(a) The Texas Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group is composed of:
		(1)  the land commissioner;                                            
		(2)  the chair of each standing or select committee or 
subcommittee of the senate with jurisdiction over coastal issues, 
as determined by the lieutenant governor; and
		(3)  the chair of each standing or select committee or 
subcommittee of the house of representatives with jurisdiction over 
coastal issues, as determined by the speaker of the house.
	(b)  The members of the working group shall annually elect a 
presiding officer and assistant presiding officer for the working 
group from among the members.
	(c)  The Texas working group shall meet as provided by rule 
of the Texas working group.
	(d)  Members of the working group may use their staff to 
support working group activities and may travel on working group 
business in accordance with the rules and procedures that apply to 
the members' travel on official business.
	Sec. 33.653.  TEXAS WORKING GROUP ACTIVITIES; MULTISTATE 
GULF COAST LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP.  (a)  The Texas working group 
shall:
		(1)  identify coastal issues of common concern to Texas 
and one or more other Gulf Coast states;
		(2)  approach the group members' counterparts in other 
Gulf Coast states to work together on issues of common concern;
		(3)  in coordination with the group members' 
counterparts in other Gulf Coast states, communicate with 
appropriate members of Congress on coastal issues of common 
concern; and
		(4)  propose to the group members' counterparts in 
other Gulf Coast states that they join together with the Texas group 
to form a permanent Multistate Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group 
to work together and with members of Congress from the Gulf Coast 
states on issues of common concern to the Gulf Coast.
	(b)  The Texas working group and the appropriate entity in 
each Gulf Coast state that accepts the proposal described in 
Subsection (a)(4) comprise the Multistate Gulf Coast Legislative 
Working Group.
	(c)  Once formed, the Multistate Gulf Coast Legislative 
Working Group may adopt whatever name the group determines to be 
most suitable.
	Sec. 33.654.  BIENNIAL REPORT.  The Texas Gulf Coast  
Legislative Working Group shall report on its activities to the 
lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives 
not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.