HBA-EVB C.S.H.B. 3426 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 3426
By: Najera
State, Federal, & International Relations
4/29/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Mexico is currently the United States' second-largest trading partner and
Texas' largest.  Texas exports accounted for 43.7 percent of all 1997 U.S.
shipments to Mexico and totaled $31.2 billion, an increase of 15.3 percent
over 1996 export levels.  With almost 80 percent of all U.S. trade with
Mexico passing through Texas ports of entry, the growth of Texas-Mexico
trade has brought severe traffic congestion at crossings on the
Texas-Mexico border. 

This congestion delays the shipment of raw materials and finished goods,
hampering commerce. Congestion at the border also contributes to air
pollution and pavement damage.  There are a number of factors responsible
for congestion at border crossings. 

State agencies with a presence at the border include the Department of
Public Safety, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Department
of Insurance, the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, and the
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (comptroller).  Each agency generally
has its own rules and procedures, and coordination between agencies present
at the Texas border is limited. 

C.S.H.B. 3426 requires the comptroller to conduct a study of the movement
of commercial vehicles across the border between this state and Mexico to
determine how separation of state government functions involving regulation
of commerce from functions involving detection and prevention would reduce
congestion and enhance the effective movement of vehicles.  C.S.H.B. 3426
also requires the comptroller to develop recommendations for accomplishing
this separation and creating a model for the continuing independent
operation of those functions.   

C.S.H.B. 3426 authorizes the comptroller, in cooperation with the office of
the governor, to consult, exchange information not confidential under the
law of this state, and otherwise work jointly with relevant agencies of
federal, state, or local government to the extent the comptroller considers
appropriate for purposes of this Act.  In addition, C.S.H.B. 3426 requires
the comptroller to submit the results of the study and the comptroller's
recommendations and model to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker
of the house of representatives before January 1, 2001. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. (a) Requires the comptroller of public accounts to conduct a
study of movement of commercial vehicles across the border between this
state and Mexico to determine how separation of state government functions
involving regulation of commerce from functions involving detection and
prevention of crime would reduce congestion and enhance the effective
movement of those vehicles. Requires the comptroller to develop
recommendations for accomplishing this separation and creating a model for
the continuing independent operation of those functions. 

(b)  Authorizes the comptroller, in cooperation with the office of the
governor, to consult, exchange information not confidential under the law
of this state, and otherwise work jointly with relevant agencies of
federal, state, or local government to the extent the comptroller considers
appropriate for purposes of this Act. 

 (c) Requires the comptroller to submit the results of the study and the
comptroller's recommendations and model to the governor, lieutenant
governor, and speaker of the house of representatives before January 1,
2001. 

SECTION 2. Emergency clause.
Effective date: upon passage.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3426 differs from the original by redesignating SECTION 1(b) of
the original to SECTION 1(c) of the substitute. 

The substitute differs from the original in SECTION 1 by adding a new
Subsection (b), which authorizes the comptroller, in cooperation with the
office of the governor, to consult, exchange information not confidential
under the law of this state, and otherwise work jointly with relevant
agencies of federal, state, or local government to the extent the
comptroller considers appropriate for purposes of this Act.