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Amend Floor Amendment No. 79 by Morrison to CSSB 3 (page 202, 
prefiled amendment packet), as follows:
	(1)  In the instructions, strike "by adding the following as 
a new Article and numbering it" and substituting "by adding the 
following new Articles and numbering them".
	(2)  Add the following to the amendment:                                       
	ARTICLE _____.  TEXAS-LOUISIANA BORDER REGION
	SECTION ____.  The legislature finds that the use of water 
resources in and orderly economic development of the area of this 
state near the Texas-Louisiana border is of concern to the entire 
state.
	SECTION ____.  Chapter 2056, Government Code, is amended by 
adding Section 2056.012 to read as follows:
	Sec. 2056.012.  STRATEGIC PLAN FOR TEXAS-LOUISIANA BORDER 
REGION.  (a)  In this section:
		(1)  "Committee" means the Texas-Louisiana border 
region economic development steering committee.
		(2)  "Fund" means the Texas-Louisiana border region 
economic development steering committee fund.
		(3)  "Texas-Louisiana border region" has the meaning 
assigned by Section 2056.002.
	(b)  The committee consists of:                                         
		(1)  the county judges of the five most populous 
counties in the Texas-Louisiana border region;
		(2)  the county judge of any other county in the 
Texas-Louisiana border region, if the commissioners court elects to 
join the committee; and
		(3)  any representatives from economic development 
councils serving the Texas-Louisiana border region, as selected by 
the committee.
	(c)  The committee shall develop a strategic plan for the 
economic development of the Texas-Louisiana border region, 
including the use of the area's water resources, in the same manner 
as a state agency is required by this chapter to make a strategic 
plan for its operations, and may take action to implement the 
strategic plan.
	(d)  The members of the committee shall elect one member as 
presiding officer.  The presiding officer may select another member 
to preside in the absence of the presiding officer.  The presiding 
officer shall call at least one meeting of the committee each year 
and may call other meetings as the presiding officer determines are 
appropriate.  A member of the committee is not entitled to 
compensation for serving as a member but is entitled to 
reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred while serving as a 
member.  The committee shall adopt rules for its proceedings and 
appoint an executive committee.  The committee may employ and 
compensate persons to carry out the powers and duties of the 
committee.  Chapter 171, Local Government Code, applies to a member 
of the committee in the same manner as that chapter applies to a 
local public official.
	(e)  The committee is a public body and a political 
subdivision of the state exercising public and essential 
governmental functions and has all the powers necessary or 
convenient to carry out the purposes of this section.  The 
committee, in the exercise of powers under this section, is 
performing only governmental functions and is a governmental unit 
within the meaning of Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies 
Code.  The committee is subject every 12th year to review under 
Chapter 325.
	(f)  The committee may sue and be sued in all courts, may 
institute and prosecute suits without giving security for costs, 
and may appeal from a judgment without giving a supersedeas or cost 
bond.  An action at law or in equity against the committee may be 
brought in any county in the Texas-Louisiana border region.
	(g)  The committee may acquire by grant, purchase, gift, 
devise, lease, or otherwise and may hold, use, sell, lease, or 
dispose of real and personal property, licenses, patents, rights, 
and interests necessary, convenient, or useful for the full 
exercise of its powers.
	(h)  The committee may enter into a joint ownership agreement 
with any person.
	(i)  The committee may make contracts, leases, and 
agreements with, and accept grants and loans from, the United 
States, this state, agencies and political subdivisions of this 
state or another state of the United States, the United Mexican 
States, or a state of the United Mexican States, and other persons 
and entities and may perform any act necessary for the full exercise 
of the powers vested in it.
	(j)  Notwithstanding Chapter 551, the committee may hold an 
open or closed meeting by telephone conference call.  The meeting is 
subject to the notice requirements applicable to other meetings.  
The notice of the meeting must specify as the location of the 
meeting the location where meetings of the committee are usually 
held.  Each part of the meeting that is required to be open to the 
public shall be audible to the public at the location specified in 
the notice of the meeting as the location of the meeting and shall 
be tape-recorded. The tape recording shall be made available to the 
public.