82R6353 EAH-F
By: Lucio S.B. No. 824
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the coordination of rural and small community
initiatives.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding
Chapter 793 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 793. COORDINATION OF RURAL AND SMALL COMMUNITIES
Sec. 793.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Agency" means a state office, institution, or
other state governmental entity that is in the executive branch of
state government.
(2) "Coordinator" means the rural and small community
coordinator.
(3) "Task force" means the Texas Rural and Small
Community Advisory Task Force.
Sec. 793.002. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION OF RURAL AND SMALL
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. (a) The governor may designate an employee
of the governor's office, an agency, or the office of the secretary
of state to act as the state's rural and small community
coordinator. The coordinator shall:
(1) examine state and federal programs that address
the needs of rural and small communities;
(2) act as an ombudsman for governmental agencies
within the state to help reduce regulations by improving
communication and cooperation between federal, state, and local
governments;
(3) study the best practices found in other states and
within the state and work with agencies to develop a coordinated
state plan to implement similar programs tailored to the needs of
the state's rural and small communities; and
(4) work with federal, state, and local governmental
entities to resolve any infrastructure, capacity, and economic
development problems to allow rural and small communities to:
(A) manage better guided growth; and
(B) become less dependent on state funds and
services.
(b) The coordinator shall coordinate programs and
initiatives that address the needs of rural and small communities:
(1) within the agency; and
(2) with other agencies and local officials involved
in rural and small community projects in the state.
(c) The coordinator shall work with other agencies and local
officials involved in rural and small community projects in the
state to:
(1) coordinate efforts to address rural and small
community issues;
(2) identify nonprofit self-help groups and community
development organizations to help with rural and small community
initiatives;
(3) set goals for each state fiscal year for rural and
small community initiatives in the state, including goals to:
(A) address regional asset identification and
development;
(B) ensure access to state and federal programs
through better outreach and application streamlining;
(C) increase international competitiveness,
import capacity, and export capacity;
(D) increase potential for entrepreneurial and
small business development opportunities;
(E) improve technical assistance needed to build
local capacity;
(F) assist efforts for youth retention and
workforce skill development; and
(G) increase regional planning and coordination;
(4) ensure that the goals set under this subsection
are met each state fiscal year; and
(5) coordinate state outreach efforts to rural and
small communities and to stakeholders capable of providing needed
services.
(d) If the governor designates a coordinator under
Subsection (a), the following agencies shall designate an officer
or employee of the agency to serve as the agency's liaison to the
coordinator:
(1) the Texas Department of Rural Affairs;
(2) the Texas Water Development Board;
(3) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;
(4) the Texas Department of Housing and Community
Affairs;
(5) the Health and Human Services Commission;
(6) the Parks and Wildlife Department;
(7) the Texas Department of Transportation;
(8) the Department of Public Safety of the State of
Texas;
(9) the office of the secretary of state;
(10) the Department of Agriculture;
(11) the office of the comptroller; and
(12) the Texas Workforce Commission.
(e) Each agency's liaison under Subsection (d) must be a
deputy executive director or a person of equivalent or higher
authority at the agency. This subsection does not authorize the
creation of a new position for rural and small community
coordination at a state agency.
(f) In coordinating rural and small community initiatives
under this section, the coordinator shall consider the advice and
recommendations of the task force established under Section
793.003.
Sec. 793.003. TEXAS RURAL AND SMALL COMMUNITY ADVISORY TASK
FORCE. (a) The coordinator shall appoint to serve on the Texas
Rural and Small Community Advisory Task Force:
(1) at least one representative from each agency
listed under Section 793.002(d);
(2) two representatives who are members of
organizations that represent the interests of rural and small
communities;
(3) two representatives who are county officials from
rural counties;
(4) two representatives from the councils of
government that serve regions that are predominantly rural or
composed of small communities;
(5) two representatives who are officials from small
municipalities;
(6) two representatives who are board members of
nonprofit or community development organizations;
(7) two representatives of institutions of higher
education who specialize in rural community and economic
development;
(8) two representatives of local small business
development corporations; and
(9) two representatives of local economic development
corporations.
(b) Each agency's representative under Subsection (a)(1)
serves in a resource capacity only and must be a deputy executive
director or a person of equivalent or higher authority at the
agency.
(c) The coordinator shall make appointments under
Subsection (a) so that different geographic regions of the state
are represented in order to better develop a plan that can meet the
needs of unique rural and small communities.
(d) The coordinator shall serve as the presiding officer of
the task force.
(e) Chapter 2110 does not apply to the task force.
Sec. 793.004. TEXAS RURAL AND SMALL COMMUNITY COORDINATED
PLAN. (a) The task force shall develop and adopt the Texas Rural
and Small Community Coordinated Plan. The plan must include:
(1) short-term recommendations and initiatives that
the state, including the coordinator and each entity represented on
the task force, may follow after the adoption of the plan for the
ensuing:
(A) two years; and
(B) four years;
(2) long-term recommendations and initiatives that
the state, including the coordinator and each entity represented on
the task force, may follow after the adoption of the plan for the
ensuing:
(A) 5 years;
(B) 10 years; and
(C) 15 years; and
(3) recommendations on what the state can do to:
(A) increase and improve delivery, access, and
administration of programs that benefit rural and small communities
in the state;
(B) increase regional and individual capacity in
rural and small communities in the state;
(C) address any important problem identified by
the task force that currently impedes development, growth, and
commerce in rural and small communities;
(D) increase international competitiveness,
import capacity, and export capacity;
(E) increase potential for entrepreneurial and
small business development opportunities;
(F) improve technical assistance needed to build
local capacity;
(G) assist efforts for youth retention and
workforce skill development; and
(H) decrease the dependency of rural and small
communities on state funds and services and increase sustainable
economic growth and community development in those communities.
(b) Each entity represented on the task force may
incorporate the plan's applicable recommendations and initiatives
into the entity's operations.
(c) The task force shall adopt an updated plan before the
fourth anniversary of the date the plan is adopted or the date an
updated plan is adopted.
Sec. 793.005. QUARTERLY REPORTS. Each entity represented
on the task force shall submit quarterly reports to the coordinator
regarding any action taken by the entity on behalf of the task force
or in furtherance of a plan or recommendation adopted by the task
force, including:
(1) the status of projects;
(2) the funding of expenditures;
(3) the planning and research conducted;
(4) the community and technical assistance provided;
(5) the information collected; and
(6) the direct role of the entity in promoting
community and economic development through federal, state, and
local government funding.
SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2012, the rural and
small community coordinator, if one is designated by the governor
under Section 793.002, Government Code, as added by this Act, shall
submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house
of representatives, members of the legislature, and Legislative
Budget Board a detailed written report of the Texas Rural and Small
Community Coordinated Plan adopted under Section 793.004,
Government Code, as added by this Act, and any recommendations for
legislative action.
SECTION 3. 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, 2011.