Senate Special Committee on Border Affairs
NOTE: This is archived committee information from the 76th Legislative Session.
Committee Information
CHAIR
Eddie Lucio, Jr.
VICE-CHAIR
David Sibley
MEMBERS
Teel Bivins
Robert Duncan
Eliot Shapleigh
Carlos F. Truan
Judith Zaffirini
Video/Audio — Archives
76th Session Interim
- September 28, 2000
- July 10, 2000 (Part 3)
- July 10, 2000 (Part 2)
- July 10, 2000 (Part 1)
- May 26, 2000 — Joint Hearing: Senate State Affairs Committee, Senate Special Committee on Border Affairs; Hearing in Brownsville, TX; audio only.
- May 25, 2000
- April 27, 2000
- April 12, 2000 — Joint Hearing: Senate State Affairs Committee, Senate Special Committee on Border Affairs; Hearing in Houston, TX; audio only.
- March 22, 2000 (Part 2)
- March 22, 2000 (Part 1)
- February 22, 2000 — Joint Hearing: Senate State Affairs Committee, Senate Special Committee on Border Affairs; Hearing in Irving, TX; audio only.
- February 5, 2000 (Part 3) — Eagle Pass, TX; audio only.
- February 5, 2000 (Part 2) — Eagle Pass, TX; audio only.
- February 5, 2000 (Part 1) — Eagle Pass, TX; audio only.
- January 12, 2000 — Hearing in Laredo, TX; audio only.
- January 11, 2000 (Part II) — Joint Hearing: Senate State Affairs Committee, Senate Special Committee on Border Affairs (Part II); Hearing in Laredo, TX; audio only.
- January 11, 2000 (Part I) — Joint Hearing: Senate State Affairs Committee, Senate Special Committee on Border Affairs (Part I); Hearing in Laredo, TX; audio only.
- October 13, 1999
76th Regular Session
Reports
The following reports are available for download:
- The following items are the Senate Special Committee on Border Affairs Interim Reports to the 77th Legislature:
- Transportation Interim Report (884 KB, PDF format)
- Health Interim Report (480 KB, PDF format)
Interim Charges
- Assess the long-term intermodal transportation needs of the Texas-Mexico Border Region to facilitate regional economic development, international trade and safety. The Committee shall address all modes of transportation, including highways, farm-to-market roads, turnpikes, mass transit, aviation, railroads and water traffic. The Committee shall also evaluate the planning and capacity resources of the three Texas Department of Transportation border districts and make recommendations, including alternative financing mechanisms, to expedite the flow of NAFTA-related commercial vehicle traffic. The Committee shall consult and coordinate with the Senate Committee on State Affairs in developing recommendations concerning transportation linkages between the Border Region and statewide, national and international markets. Final preparation of transportation recommendations shall be the responsibility of the State Affairs Committee.
- Assess the Border Region's water and wastewater system infrastructure needs and the impact of the lack of adequate water and wastewater systems on health conditions along the Border. The Committee shall develop both short-term and long-term recommendations to address these infrastructure needs.
- Assess the health conditions in the Border Region, including childhood diseases and chronic health problems endemic to the Border such as diabetes and tuberculosis. Included in this assessment shall be an evaluation of the utilization of immunization and prevention programs and of collaborative efforts on common health issues between Texas and the Mexican Border States. The Committee shall develop health care strategies to improve Border health conditions and recommendations for their implementation.
- Develop economic development strategies for the Border Region to increase economic opportunity and the earning capacity of its residents through higher wage jobs. The strategies should assess the Region's post-NAFTA workforce training needs, as well as identify potential emerging industry clusters in the Border Region and the workforce requirements to support those industry clusters.
- Monitor the implementation of the following bills enacted during the 76th Legislature, Regular Session: SB 913 relating to the establishment and maintenance of one-stop border inspection stations by the Texas Department of Transportation in Brownsville, Laredo, and El Paso; and SB 1421 relating to the regulation of the subdivision or development of land in certain economically distressed areas, including colonias, and certain other areas.
