S.B. No. 293




AN ACT
relating to meetings between representatives of the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas and Mexican states on transportation and truck inspection issues. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 411.0097 to read as follows: Sec. 411.0097. TRANSPORTATION AND INSPECTIONS MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF MEXICAN STATES. (a) The department shall initiate efforts to meet at least quarterly with the department's counterparts in the Mexican states bordering this state to discuss issues relating to truck inspections and transportation and infrastructure involved in truck inspections and transportation. (b) To assist the department in carrying out this section, the department shall contact the border commerce coordinator designated under Section 772.010 and the mayors of each municipality in this state in which a port of entry for land traffic is located. (c) At least one department representative participating in a meeting under Subsection (a) must be proficient in Spanish. (d) The department, in conjunction with the border commerce coordinator, shall develop short-range and long-range plans, including recommendations to increase bilateral relations with Mexico and expedite trade by mitigating delays in border crossing inspections for northbound truck traffic. In developing the plans, the department and coordinator shall consider information obtained from any meetings under Subsection (a). The department shall update the plan biennially and submit the updated plan to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each other member of the legislature on or before December 1 of each even-numbered year. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 293 passed the Senate on March 22, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 0; and that the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.B. No. 293 passed the House, with amendment, on May 20, 2005, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0, two present not voting. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Approved: ______________________________ Date ______________________________ Governor