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AN ACT
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relating to the border commerce coordinator. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 772.010, Government Code, as added by |
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Chapter 1339 (H.B. 564), Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 1999, is reenacted and amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 772.010. BORDER COMMERCE COORDINATOR. (a) The |
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governor shall designate a border commerce coordinator in the |
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governor's office or the office of the secretary of state as |
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determined by the governor. The coordinator shall: |
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(1) examine trade issues between the United States, |
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Mexico, and Canada; |
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(2) act as an ombudsman for government agencies within |
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the Texas and Mexico border region to help reduce regulations by |
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improving communication and cooperation between federal, state, |
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and local governments; |
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(3) work with federal officials to resolve |
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transportation issues involving infrastructure, including roads |
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and bridges, to allow for the efficient movement of goods and people |
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across the border between Texas and Mexico; |
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(4) work with federal officials to create a unified |
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federal agency process to streamline border crossing needs; |
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(5) work to increase funding for the North American |
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Development Bank to assist in the financing of water and wastewater |
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facilities; [and] |
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(6) explore the sale of excess electric power from |
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Texas to Mexico; |
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(7) study the flow of commerce at ports of entry |
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between this state and Mexico, including the movement of commercial |
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vehicles across the border, and establish a plan to aid that |
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commerce and improve the movement of those vehicles; |
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(8) work to identify problems associated with border |
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truck inspections and related trade and transportation |
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infrastructure and develop recommendations for addressing those |
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problems; |
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(9) work with the appropriate state and federal |
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agencies to develop initiatives to mitigate congestion at ports of |
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entry; and |
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(10) develop recommendations designed to: |
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(A) increase trade by attracting new business |
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ventures; |
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(B) support expansion of existing and new |
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industries; and |
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(C) address workforce training needs. |
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(b) The governor shall appoint a border commerce |
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coordinator to serve at the will of the governor in the governor's |
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office or in the office of the secretary of state and may select the |
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secretary of state as the coordinator. |
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(c) The coordinator shall work with the interagency work |
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group established under Section 772.011, with local governments, |
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metropolitan planning organizations, and other appropriate |
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community organizations adjacent to the border of this state with |
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Mexico, and with comparable entities in Mexican states adjacent to |
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that border to address the unique planning and capacity needs of |
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those areas. The coordinator shall assist those governments, |
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organizations, and entities to identify and develop initiatives to |
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address those needs. Before January 1 of each year, the coordinator |
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shall submit to the presiding officer of each house of the |
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legislature a report of the coordinator's activities under this |
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subsection during the preceding year. |
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(d) The coordinator shall: |
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(1) work with private industry and appropriate |
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entities of Texas and the United States to require that low-sulfur |
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fuel be sold along highways in Texas carrying increased traffic |
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related to activities under the North American Free Trade |
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Agreement; and |
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(2) work with representatives of the government of |
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Mexico and the governments of Mexican states bordering Texas to |
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increase the use of low-sulfur fuel. |
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(e) The coordinator shall appoint a border mayor task force, |
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to be named the Texas Good Neighbor Committee, consisting of the |
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mayors from every municipality located in this state along the |
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border between Texas and Mexico that has an adjoining sister city in |
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Mexico. The task force shall: |
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(1) advise the coordinator on key trade, security, and |
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transportation-related issues important to the municipalities |
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appointed to the task force; |
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(2) hold quarterly meetings with mayors from Mexico |
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to: |
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(A) increase: |
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(i) cooperation; |
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(ii) communication; and |
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(iii) the flow of information; |
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(B) identify problems; and |
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(C) recommend solutions; |
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(3) seek assistance and input from private sector |
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stakeholders involved in commerce to identify issues to address; |
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and |
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(4) provide recommendations to assist the coordinator |
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in carrying out the coordinator's statutory duties. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Section 772.010, Government Code, as added |
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by Chapter 429 (S.B. 1136), Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 1999, is repealed. |
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(b) Section 3(a), Chapter 1215 (H.B. 925), Acts of the 79th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, which reenacted and amended |
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Section 772.010, Government Code, as added by Chapters 429 (S.B. |
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1136) and 1339 (H.B. 564), Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 1999, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2015. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1389 passed the Senate on |
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May 4, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays 6. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1389 passed the House on |
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May 21, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 93, Nays 47, one |
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present not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |