BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                    C.S.H.B. 3818

                                                                                                                                          By: Merritt

                                                                                                           Border & International Affairs

                                                                                                        Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Economic development is the foundation of a strong economy.  A strong economy equates to job growth, higher paying wages, health care benefits, and a higher quality of life.  As competition increases among cities and counties for new businesses and funds, it is often necessary to take a regional approach when it comes to economic development.

 

A regional approach allows for municipalities and counties to combine their limited resources to effectively compete with other areas within Texas as well as with neighboring states, such as Louisiana. 

 

C.S.H.B. 3818 allows for the creation and operation an economic development steering committee in the Texas-Louisiana border region.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the opinion of the committee that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas-Louisiana border region economic development steering committee in SECTION 2 of this bill. 

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.H.B. 3818 recognizes that the legislature finds that the orderly economic development of the area of this state near the Texas-Louisiana border is of concern to the entire state.

 

The bill also amends the Government Code by establishing the Strategic Plan for Texas-Louisiana Border Region and providing appropriate definitions.  The bill provides for the composition of the committee and requires the committee to develop a strategic plan as provided by this Act.

 

The bill provides for the election and selection of officers of the committee, and sets forth provisions regarding compensation and reimbursement for members of the committee.  The bill also sets forth provisions regarding the powers and duties of the committee and authorizes certain actions at law regarding the committee.

 

The bill also sets forth provisions regarding meetings of the committee.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2007.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

 

The substitute differs from the original in that it is a document prepared by the Texas Legislative Council.  The substitute also differs by recognizing that the legislature finds that the orderly economic development of the area of this state near the Texas-Louisiana border is of concern to the entire state.  The substitute also establishes the Texas-Louisiana border region economic development steering committee fund.

 

The substitute also differs by changing the composition of the Texas-Louisiana border region economic development steering committee, including the election and selection of officers of the committee, and sets forth provisions regarding compensation and reimbursement for members of the committee.  The substitute also sets forth provisions regarding the powers and duties of the committee, authorizes certain actions at law regarding the committee, and sets forth provisions regarding meetings of the committee.

 

The substitute also deletes the provisions that amended the Utilities Code by requiring that the money collected from a surcharge paid by a retail customer located in a county in the Texas-Louisiana border region be used as provided by this Act, and requiring the Public Utility Commission of Texas to provide for the remission of the money to the committee.