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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the coordination of rural and small community |
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initiatives. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding |
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Chapter 793 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 793. COORDINATION OF RURAL AND SMALL COMMUNITIES |
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Sec. 793.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Agency" means a state office, institution, or |
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other state governmental entity that is in the executive branch of |
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state government. |
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(2) "Coordinator" means the rural and small community |
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coordinator. |
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Sec. 793.002. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION OF RURAL AND SMALL |
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COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. (a) The governor may designate an employee |
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of the governor's office, an agency, or the office of the secretary |
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of state to act as the state's rural and small community |
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coordinator. The coordinator shall: |
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(1) examine state and federal programs that address |
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the needs of rural and small communities; |
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(2) act as an ombudsman for governmental agencies |
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within the state to help reduce regulations by improving |
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communication and cooperation between federal, state, and local |
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governments; |
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(3) study the best practices found in other states and |
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within the state and work with agencies to develop a coordinated |
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state plan to implement similar programs tailored to the needs of |
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the state's rural and small communities; and |
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(4) work with federal, state, and local governmental |
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entities to resolve any infrastructure, capacity, and economic |
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development problems to allow rural and small communities to: |
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(A) manage better guided growth; and |
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(B) become less dependent on state funds and |
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services. |
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(b) The coordinator shall coordinate programs and |
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initiatives that address the needs of rural and small communities: |
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(1) within the agency; and |
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(2) with other agencies and local officials involved |
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in rural and small community projects in the state. |
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(c) The coordinator shall work with other agencies and local |
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officials involved in rural and small community projects in the |
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state to: |
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(1) coordinate efforts to address rural and small |
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community issues; |
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(2) identify nonprofit self-help groups and community |
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development organizations to help with rural and small community |
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initiatives; |
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(3) set goals for each state fiscal year for rural and |
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small community initiatives in the state, including goals to: |
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(A) address regional asset identification and |
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development; |
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(B) ensure access to state and federal programs |
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through better outreach and application streamlining; |
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(C) increase international competitiveness, |
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import capacity, and export capacity; |
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(D) increase potential for entrepreneurial and |
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small business development opportunities; |
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(E) improve technical assistance needed to build |
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local capacity; |
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(F) assist efforts for youth retention and |
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workforce skill development; and |
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(G) increase regional planning and coordination; |
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(4) ensure that the goals set under this subsection |
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are met each state fiscal year; and |
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(5) coordinate state outreach efforts to rural and |
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small communities and to stakeholders capable of providing needed |
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services. |
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(d) If the governor designates a coordinator under |
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Subsection (a), the following agencies shall designate an officer |
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or employee of the agency to serve as the agency's liaison to the |
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coordinator: |
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(1) the Texas Department of Rural Affairs; |
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(2) the Texas Water Development Board; |
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(3) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; |
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(4) the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
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Affairs; |
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(5) the Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(6) the Parks and Wildlife Department; |
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(7) the Texas Department of Transportation; |
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(8) the Department of Public Safety of the State of |
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Texas; |
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(9) the office of the secretary of state; |
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(10) the Department of Agriculture; |
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(11) the office of the comptroller; and |
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(12) the Texas Workforce Commission. |
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(e) Each agency's liaison under Subsection (d) must be a |
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deputy executive director or a person of equivalent or higher |
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authority at the agency. This subsection does not authorize the |
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creation of a new position for rural and small community |
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coordination at a state agency. |
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(f) In coordinating rural and small community initiatives |
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under this section, the coordinator shall consider the advice and |
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recommendations of an advisory committee established under Section |
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793.003. |
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Sec. 793.003. TEXAS RURAL AND SMALL COMMUNITY ADVISORY |
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COMMITTEES. (a) The coordinator may appoint advisory committees |
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as necessary to assist the coordinator in the coordinator's duties. |
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An advisory committee may be composed of private citizens and |
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representatives from state and local governmental entities. A |
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state or local governmental entity shall appoint a representative |
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to an advisory committee at the request of the coordinator. |
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(b) The coordinator shall create a rural advisory committee |
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to advise the coordinator in rural policy priorities and |
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administration of community development and health programs that |
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impact rural communities. The coordinator shall appoint elected |
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officials and community members with expertise in community |
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development, economic development, and rural health to serve as |
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members of the committee. The coordinator may appoint individuals |
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with expertise in education or transportation, as determined by the |
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coordinator, to serve as members of the committee. |
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(c) Chapter 2110 does not apply to an advisory committee |
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created under this section. |
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Sec. 793.004. QUARTERLY REPORTS. Each entity represented |
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on an advisory committee established under Section 793.003 shall |
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submit quarterly reports to the coordinator regarding any action |
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taken by the entity on behalf of the advisory committee or in |
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furtherance of a plan or recommendation adopted by the advisory |
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committee, including: |
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(1) the status of projects; |
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(2) the funding of expenditures; |
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(3) the planning and research conducted; |
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(4) the community and technical assistance provided; |
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(5) the information collected; and |
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(6) the direct role of the entity in promoting |
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community and economic development through federal, state, and |
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local government funding. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |