By: Gonzales of Hidalgo, et al. H.B. No. 397
(Senate Sponsor - Uresti)
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2011;
May 3, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
International Relations and Trade; May 16, 2011, reported
adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following
vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 16, 2011, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 397 By: Davis
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the Bureau for Economic Development of
the Border Region.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle F, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
by adding Chapter 490D to read as follows:
CHAPTER 490D. BUREAU FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE BORDER REGION
Sec. 490D.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Border region" means the portion of this state
located:
(A) not more than 100 kilometers from the state's
international border; or
(B) in a county located on an international
border.
(2) "Bureau" means the Bureau for Economic Development
of the Border Region.
Sec. 490D.002. BUREAU; MEMBERS. (a) The Bureau for
Economic Development of the Border Region is a collaboration of
participating entities administered by an institution of higher
education as provided by Subsection (b). The bureau shall work in
collaboration with public and private entities solely in an
advisory capacity on relevant research focused on the border region
to effectively maximize the economic potential of the region.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (h), the
administration of the bureau shall alternate on September 1 of each
odd-numbered year among the following institutions of higher
education in the following order:
(1) a private university that is located in a
municipality that contains more than 75 percent of the population
of a county with a population of 1.5 million or more and that has an
economic development research institute dedicated to researching
regional economies, selected by the speaker of the house of
representatives;
(2) The University of Texas at Brownsville;
(3) The University of Texas--Pan American;
(4) The University of Texas at El Paso;
(5) The University of Texas at San Antonio; and
(6) Texas A&M International University.
(c) The bureau has a steering committee that consists of the
following members:
(1) one member appointed by the lieutenant governor;
(2) one member affiliated with a private university
described by Subsection (b)(1), appointed by the speaker of the
house of representatives;
(3) one member appointed by the administration of each
of the following institutions of higher education:
(A) The University of Texas at Brownsville;
(B) The University of Texas--Pan American;
(C) The University of Texas at El Paso;
(D) The University of Texas at San Antonio; and
(E) Texas A&M International University;
(4) the chair of the House Committee on Border and
Intergovernmental Affairs, designated by the speaker of the house
of representatives; and
(5) the chair of the Senate Committee on International
Relations and Trade, designated by the lieutenant governor.
(d) The members of the bureau's steering committee
appointed under Subsections (c)(2) and (3) must represent a center,
division, or institute for economic development, border studies,
enterprise development, workforce development, or similar matters
within the institution of higher education.
(e) The member of the bureau's steering committee appointed
under Subsection (c)(1) must be a resident of the border region.
The other appointed or designated members of the steering committee
may be residents of the border region.
(f) Members of the bureau's steering committee must be
selected to provide the bureau expertise in matters relating to
financial planning and development, construction, engineering,
economic development, employment, or trade.
(g) The institution of higher education that administers
the bureau shall provide educational expertise to the bureau.
(h) An institution of higher education may decline to
administer the bureau for a biennium if the institution notifies
each of the members of the bureau's steering committee not later
than the 30th day before the date the institution is scheduled to
begin administering the bureau. If an institution declines to
administer the bureau:
(1) the next institution of higher education scheduled
to administer the bureau shall administer the bureau during the
biennium;
(2) the member affiliated with the institution of
higher education that has declined to administer the bureau must
continue to participate in the steering committee but does not
serve as the presiding officer for the biennium; and
(3) the institutions of higher education listed in
Subsection (b) shall continue to alternate the administration of
the bureau in the order required by that subsection for subsequent
bienniums.
Sec. 490D.003. TERMS. (a) The members of the bureau's
steering committee appointed under Sections 490D.002(c)(1), (2),
and (3) serve staggered terms of two years, with four of the
members' terms expiring September 1 of each odd-numbered year.
(b) A member may serve more than one term.
Sec. 490D.004. MEETINGS; OFFICERS. (a) The bureau's
steering committee shall hold at least one regular meeting
annually.
(b) The member of the steering committee affiliated with the
institution of higher education that is administering the bureau as
provided by Section 490D.002(b) serves as the presiding officer.
(c) The steering committee shall meet subject to the call of
the presiding officer.
Sec. 490D.005. DUTIES. (a) Subject to Subsection (b), the
bureau shall:
(1) facilitate research in fields of study affecting
the economy in the border region;
(2) make recommendations to the legislature regarding
the provision of economic and financial education to persons living
in the border region;
(3) draft and submit reports to advise the legislature
about economic development opportunities in the border region;
(4) provide evaluation of specific proposals for use
of economic development funds in the border region, including tax
abatement agreements;
(5) consult with the Texas Economic Development and
Tourism Office within the office of the governor on issues related
to the border region;
(6) study and report on opportunities to improve trade
across the international border; and
(7) make recommendations to the legislature about the
establishment of infrastructure projects to assist multiple
counties in the border region.
(b) Before a recommendation or evaluation is made under
Subsection (a), two-thirds of the members of the steering committee
present at a meeting at which a quorum is present must approve the
recommendation or evaluation.
Sec. 490D.006. FUNDING. (a) The bureau or any member of
the bureau's steering committee may solicit and accept pledges,
gifts, and endowments from private sources on the bureau's behalf.
The bureau shall actively seek gifts from businesses and
organizations that represent businesses to support the bureau's
functions. A pledge, gift, or endowment solicited under this
section must be consistent with the purposes of the bureau.
(b) The legislature may not make an appropriation for the
duties or functions of the bureau.
Sec. 490D.007. FACILITIES AND OTHER ASSISTANCE. The
institution of higher education that administers the bureau may
provide facilities and services to further the purposes of the
bureau.
Sec. 490D.008. DURATION. Section 2110.008 does not apply
to the bureau.
SECTION 2. In appointing the initial appointed members of
the steering committee of the Bureau for Economic Development of
the Border Region under Section 490D.002, Government Code, as added
by this Act:
(1) the lieutenant governor shall appoint one member
to serve a term expiring September 1, 2013;
(2) the speaker of the house of representatives shall
appoint the member under Section 490D.002(c)(2), as added by this
Act, to serve a term expiring September 1, 2013;
(3) the administration of The University of Texas at
Brownsville shall appoint one member to serve a term expiring
September 1, 2013;
(4) the administration of The University of Texas--Pan
American shall appoint one member to serve a term expiring
September 1, 2013;
(5) the administration of The University of Texas at
El Paso shall appoint one member to serve a term expiring September
1, 2014;
(6) the administration of The University of Texas at
San Antonio shall appoint one member to serve a term expiring
September 1, 2014; and
(7) the administration of Texas A&M International
University shall appoint one member to serve a term expiring
September 1, 2014.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
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