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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation and operation of the Texas-Louisiana |
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border region economic development steering committee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the orderly economic |
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development of the area of this state near the Texas-Louisiana |
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border is of concern to the entire state. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 2056, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 2056.012 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2056.012. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR TEXAS-LOUISIANA BORDER |
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REGION. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Committee" means the Texas-Louisiana border |
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region economic development steering committee. |
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(2) "Fund" means the Texas-Louisiana border region |
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economic development steering committee fund. |
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(3) "Texas-Louisiana border region" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 2056.002. |
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(b) The committee consists of: |
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(1) the county judges of the five most populous |
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counties in the Texas-Louisiana border region; |
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(2) the county judge of any other county in the |
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Texas-Louisiana border region, if the commissioners court elects to |
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join the committee; and |
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(3) any representatives from economic development |
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councils serving the Texas-Louisiana border region, as selected by |
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the committee. |
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(c) The committee shall develop a strategic plan for the |
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economic development of the Texas-Louisiana border region, in the |
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same manner as a state agency is required by this chapter to make a |
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strategic plan for its operations, and may take action to implement |
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the strategic plan. |
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(d) The members of the committee shall elect one member as |
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presiding officer. The presiding officer may select another member |
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to preside in the absence of the presiding officer. The presiding |
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officer shall call at least one meeting of the committee each year |
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and may call other meetings as the presiding officer determines are |
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appropriate. A member of the committee is not entitled to |
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compensation for serving as a member but is entitled to |
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reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred while serving as a |
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member. The committee shall adopt rules for its proceedings and |
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appoint an executive committee. The committee may employ and |
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compensate persons to carry out the powers and duties of the |
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committee. Chapter 171, Local Government Code, applies to a member |
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of the committee in the same manner as that chapter applies to a |
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local public official. |
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(e) The committee is a public body and a political |
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subdivision of the state exercising public and essential |
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governmental functions and has all the powers necessary or |
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convenient to carry out the purposes of this section. The |
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committee, in the exercise of powers under this section, is |
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performing only governmental functions and is a governmental unit |
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within the meaning of Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies |
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Code. The committee is subject every 12th year to review under |
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Chapter 325. |
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(f) The committee may sue and be sued in all courts, may |
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institute and prosecute suits without giving security for costs, |
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and may appeal from a judgment without giving a supersedeas or cost |
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bond. An action at law or in equity against the committee may be |
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brought in any county in the Texas-Louisiana border region. |
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(g) The committee may acquire by grant, purchase, gift, |
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devise, lease, or otherwise and may hold, use, sell, lease, or |
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dispose of real and personal property, licenses, patents, rights, |
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and interests necessary, convenient, or useful for the full |
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exercise of its powers. |
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(h) The committee may enter into a joint ownership agreement |
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with any person. |
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(i) The committee may make contracts, leases, and |
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agreements with, and accept grants and loans from, the United |
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States, this state, agencies and political subdivisions of this |
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state or another state of the United States, the United Mexican |
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States, or a state of the United Mexican States, and other persons |
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and entities and may perform any act necessary for the full exercise |
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of the powers vested in it. |
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(j) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, the committee may hold an |
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open or closed meeting by telephone conference call. The meeting is |
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subject to the notice requirements applicable to other meetings. |
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The notice of the meeting must specify as the location of the |
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meeting the location where meetings of the committee are usually |
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held. Each part of the meeting that is required to be open to the |
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public shall be audible to the public at the location specified in |
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the notice of the meeting as the location of the meeting and shall |
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be tape-recorded. The tape recording shall be made available to the |
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public. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |