By: Anchia H.B. No. 3854
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the promotion of Texas products and services in the
global marketplace.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 481, Government Code, is
amended by adding section 481.030 to read as follows:
Section 481.030. BRAND TEXAS TASK FORCE (a) In this
section, "task force" means the Brand Texas Global Task Force.
(b) An interagency task force is created to:
(1) develop or update a process to allow agencies to
work together to identify, catalogue and prioritize the top foreign
markets for Texas' products, services and intellectual property,
and top sources of potential new investors in Texas businesses,
workforce and new research and development projects, especially
those sectors that produce value-added or knowledge-driven jobs,
patents and other intellectual property;
(2) lead consultations with stakeholders from those
priority industry sectors, identify strengths and weaknesses in
Texas' brand identity, and build a fresh branding strategy for the
pursuit of Texas' top international investment and business
development targets based on the state's key competitive
advantages;
(3) consult with local governments, educational
institutions, economic development and metropolitan planning
organizations, workforce development agencies, small business
agencies, chambers of commerce, trade associations, and other
stakeholders, to elicit recommendations on a statewide strategy to
promote the Texas brand internationally;
(4) consult with small and large manufacturers based
in Texas and identify challenges they face in the international
marketplace; catalogue all state services related to exports and
investment attraction in Texas, including those provided by the
Office of State and Federal Relations; formulate performance
criteria for these services and conduct a cross-sectoral client
survey, identifying strengths and gaps; and develop a list of
priority recommendations for the improvement of these services;
(5) study how the panoply of trade facilitation and
promotion services offered by federal government agencies,
including the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Export-Import Bank,
and other federal agencies, might be made better accessible to
Texans through a single-window state export services office,
providing small business a heightened level of access to vital
trade education, training, support and financial services, and
encourage more Texans to do business internationally;
(6) examine how Texas' large community of foreign
government offices, consulates, trade commissions and
sector-specific offices could be better engaged to support Texans
seeking foreign business and investment opportunities;
(7) create state-sponsored programs enabling Texas
entrepreneurs, inventors, intellectual property and small business
owners, to interact with potential foreign investors and other
business people, in sector-specific setting fully capitalizing
upon the combined the services of the state, foreign government
offices located in Texas, and community affairs leaders from Texas'
top corporations; and
(8) develop regulatory and legislative
recommendations to eliminate duplication and combine program
services.
(b) The task force is composed of the heads of the following
agencies or their designees, and other state and local entities to
be designated as necessary or appropriate:
(1) the Office of the Governor;
(2) the Texas Workforce Commission;
(3) the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office;
(4) the Office of State-Federal Relations;
(5) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
(6) the secretary of state's office.
(c) The task force shall meet at least once quarterly to
report on results of their studies, to invite successful
international businesses to share insight and case studies, to
conduct public consultations on key workforce development
challenges and opportunities, and to showcase best practices and
case studies from other states, provinces and nations.
(d) No later than December 31, 2014, the Task Force shall
publish its findings and strategic recommendations, including
selected case studies from other nations, and a strategic plan to
boost jobs related to exports and foreign direct investment in
small businesses by 20% by the year 2025.
(e) In fulfilling its duties, the task force shall consider
opportunities to collaborate with the federal government,
including trade promotion and finance programs of the U.S.
Department of Commerce, and other federal government departments,
and the effect of federal policies, including trade agreements,
upon Texas' energy business opportunities in the global
marketplace.
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, 2013.