Bill Text: TX HB397 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled

Texas House Bill 397 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Relating to the creation of the Bureau for Economic Development of the Border Region.

Sponsorship: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-1)

Status: (Vetoed) 2011-06-17 - Vetoed by the Governor [HB397 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB397-Enrolled.html



	H.B. No. 397




	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, 2012;
	(6) the administration of The University of Texas at
	San Antonio shall appoint one member to serve a term expiring
	September 1, 2012; and
	(7) the administration of Texas A&M International
	University shall appoint one member to serve a term expiring
	September 1, 2012.
	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.


	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House


	I certify that H.B. No. 397 was passed by the House on April
	29, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 116, Nays 29, 1 present, not
	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
	No. 397 on May 23, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 104, Nays 38,
	2 present, not voting.

	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House

	I certify that H.B. No. 397 was passed by the Senate, with
	amendments, on May 21, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays
	5.

	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date

	__________________
	Governor