Bill
SB 1389
84(R) - 2015
Senate Natural Resources & Economic Development
Senate Natural Resources & Economic Development
Business, Industry, & Commerce
Transportation & Infrastructure
Vote Recommendation
Vote No; Amend
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Negative
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Neutral
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Neutral
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Negative
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Neutral
Author(s)
Eddie Lucio Jr.
Bill Caption
Relating to the border commerce coordinator.
Fiscal Notes
A fiscal note dated April 27, 2015 anticipates no significant fiscal implication to the State or to units of local government.
Bill Analysis
Senate Bill 1389 would amend Chapter 772 of the Government Code related to governmental planning in order to "cleanup" the section related to the border commerce coordinator, Section 772.010 that was duplicated in statute over different sessions.
In addition to consolidating Section 772.010 into one section, Senate Bill 1389 would add functions to the border commerce coordinator, requiring that the coordinator identify problems and develop initiatives regarding border truck inspections, trade and transportation infrastructure, and congestion at ports of entry, and make recommendations on increasing trade, supporting expansion of existing and new industries, and addressing workforce training needs.
Senate Bill 1389 would also require that the coordinator appoint a border mayor task force named the Texas Good Neighbor Committee consisting of the mayors from every municipality located in this state along the border between Texas and Mexico that has an adjoining sister city in Mexico. It would assist the coordinator by identifying issues important to border municipalities and making recommendations regarding trade, security and transportation.
5/19/2015 updates:
Companion bill HB 3378 did not receive a floor hearing.
The second chamber sponsor is Rep. Eddie Lucio III.
Vote Recommendation Notes
5/19/15 Update:
No amendments or modifications have been made to the bill since we reported on it. We continue to oppose it.
First chamber analysis below:
Senate Bill 1389 is mostly a cleanup bill that would consolidate the duplicate statutes that currently exist regarding the border commerce coordinator. Since it wouldn't change current law in that case, it would not impact positively or negatively our Liberty Principles as opposed to current law.
Nevertheless, Senate Bill 1389 would give additional functions to the coordinator, such as developing recommendations in order to increase trade by attracting new business ventures, to support expansion of existing and new industries and to address workforce training needs.
Senate Bill 1389 would also require that the coordinator appoint a task force made up of mayors of sister municipalities from the United States and Mexico along the border to identify issues important to these municipalities on transportation, trade and security.
While we can see a role for government on border security and border transportation issues, on the other hand, the role of a limited government is not to develop recommendations on how to increase trade, to attract new business ventures or to support existing ones, unless it boils down to one single recommendation:
laissez faire, laissez passer.
Since it is unclear whether those recommendations would allow for freer, less regulated exchange, or for more intervention of government, including picking winners and losers by supporting new and existing business ventures with special treatment relative to other ventures, we cannot support this bill as is. We recommend that it be amended to keep the cleanup of current statute, but remove the provisions encouraging recommendations related to issues that should be left to the free market.
Organizations Supporting
City of El Paso
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