Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4422 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.B. No. 4422
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to a study on enhancing border security outcomes through
6	6	public safety, technological, and transportation infrastructure
7	7	improvements near Texas-Mexico border crossings.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "department" means the
10	10	Texas Department of Transportation.
11	11	SECTION 2. STUDY. (a) The department shall conduct a study
12	12	on public safety, border security, and transportation
13	13	infrastructure from Texas-Mexico border crossings onto the state
14	14	highway system to ensure safe, efficient, and streamlined
15	15	commercial motor vehicle connectivity that amplify Operation Lone
16	16	Star efforts.
17	17	(b) The department shall conduct the study in consultation
18	18	with:
19	19	(1) the Department of Public Safety of the State of
20	20	Texas;
21	21	(2) the Texas Military Department;
22	22	(3) the Texas A&M Transportation Institute;
23	23	(4) local law enforcement agencies near the
24	24	Texas-Mexico border;
25	25	(5) representatives of county government from at least
26	26	three noncontiguous counties that are:
27	27	(A) adjacent to this state's international
28	28	border with Mexico; or
29	29	(B) adjacent to a county described by Paragraph
30	30	(A) of this subdivision;
31	31	(6) representatives of the transportation industry
32	32	determined relevant by the department; and
33	33	(7) an independent nonprofit applied research and
34	34	development organization selected by the department.
35	35	(c) As part the study, the department shall:
36	36	(1) select multiple Texas-Mexico international border
37	37	crossings that serve commercial vehicles, as determined by the
38	38	department;
39	39	(2) analyze current transportation routes for
40	40	commercial vehicles from border crossings selected under
41	41	Subdivision (1) of this subsection onto the state highway system
42	42	and identify ways to:
43	43	(A) strengthen border security initiatives that
44	44	support Operation Lone Star or similar state security efforts;
45	45	(B) support law enforcement response efforts
46	46	near border crossings to maximize:
47	47	(i) oversight of border crossings;
48	48	(ii) inspection of vehicles using the
49	49	border crossing; and
50	50	(iii) use of public safety resources;
51	51	(C) enhance transportation infrastructure and
52	52	road technology near border crossings to:
53	53	(i) maximize the safety of communities
54	54	located near the border and people using the highways near the
55	55	border; and
56	56	(ii) improve transportation efficiency and
57	57	commercial motor vehicle connectivity; and
58	58	(D) reduce traffic congestion along
59	59	transportation routes while mitigating safety concerns;
60	60	(3) consider possible future transportation routes
61	61	that will:
62	62	(A) improve efficiency in the movement of
63	63	commercial motor vehicles from border crossings onto the state
64	64	highway system; and
65	65	(B) enhance public safety, mitigate traffic
66	66	congestion, and streamline commercial motor vehicle connectivity;
67	67	(4) assess current technologies used to promote border
68	68	security efforts at commercial inspection facilities at or near
69	69	border crossings and identify upgrades to existing technologies or
70	70	alternative technologies that may improve border security efforts;
71	71	and
72	72	(5) identify funding strategies and determine the
73	73	amount of state money needed to improve the processing and flow of
74	74	commercial motor vehicles at border crossings and improve
75	75	transportation efficiency and commercial motor vehicle
76	76	connectivity.
77	77	SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2024, the
78	78	department shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor,
79	79	and the legislature a written report on the findings of the study
80	80	conducted under this Act and any recommendations of the department.
81	81	The report must include a review of the anticipated effects of the
82	82	security and public safety improvements recommended by the study on
83	83	international trade efforts with Mexico.
84	84	SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires January 1, 2025.
85	85	SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
86	86	immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
87	87	elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
88	88	Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
89	89	immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
90	90	______________________________ ______________________________
91	91	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
92	92	I certify that H.B. No. 4422 was passed by the House on April
93	93	18, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, 1 present, not
94	94	voting.
95	95	______________________________
96	96	Chief Clerk of the House
97	97	I certify that H.B. No. 4422 was passed by the Senate on May
98	98	12, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
99	99	______________________________
100	100	Secretary of the Senate
101	101	APPROVED: _____________________
102	102	Date
103	103	_____________________
104	104	Governor