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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to certain sister-city agreements between governmental |
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| 10 | 10 | | entities and foreign countries and communities. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Title 7, Government Code, is amended by adding |
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| 13 | 13 | | Chapter 795 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | CHAPTER 795. SISTER-CITY AGREEMENTS |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 795.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) "Foreign adversary" means: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (A) China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia; or |
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| 18 | 18 | | (B) a country that is a designated country for |
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| 19 | 19 | | purposes of Chapter 2275. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) "Governmental entity" means a state agency or a |
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| 21 | 21 | | political subdivision of this state. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) "Sister-city agreement" means an agreement that: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (A) is between a governmental entity and a |
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| 24 | 24 | | country other than the United States or a community located in a |
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| 25 | 25 | | country other than the United States; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (B) is recognized by a nonprofit organization |
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| 27 | 27 | | exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(3), |
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| 28 | 28 | | Internal Revenue Code of 1986, that serves as the national |
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| 29 | 29 | | membership organization for individual sister cities, counties, |
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| 30 | 30 | | and states across the United States; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | (C) reflects a commitment to foster and |
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| 32 | 32 | | strengthen opportunities for cultural and educational exchange |
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| 33 | 33 | | programs and tourism and to encourage other types of bilateral |
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| 34 | 34 | | cooperation between the parties to the agreement. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (4) "State agency" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 36 | 36 | | 751.001. |
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| 37 | 37 | | Sec. 795.002. STATE POLICY REGARDING AGREEMENTS. It is the |
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| 38 | 38 | | policy of this state to encourage sister-city agreements between |
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| 39 | 39 | | governmental entities and countries that are allies of the United |
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| 40 | 40 | | States, including countries designated as major non-NATO allies |
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| 41 | 41 | | under federal law and the Republic of China, commonly known as |
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| 42 | 42 | | Taiwan, and communities located in those countries. |
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| 43 | 43 | | Sec. 795.003. CERTAIN AGREEMENTS PROHIBITED. A |
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| 44 | 44 | | governmental entity may not establish, maintain, or renew a |
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| 45 | 45 | | sister-city agreement with: |
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| 46 | 46 | | (1) a country that is a foreign adversary; or |
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| 47 | 47 | | (2) a community located in a country described by |
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| 48 | 48 | | Subdivision (1). |
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| 49 | 49 | | Sec. 795.004. WITHDRAWAL FROM CERTAIN EXISTING AGREEMENTS. |
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| 50 | 50 | | (a) A governmental entity that on September 1, 2025, is a party to a |
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| 51 | 51 | | sister-city agreement described by Section 795.003 shall withdraw |
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| 52 | 52 | | from the agreement not later than October 1, 2025. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (b) This section expires January 1, 2027. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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