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Advisory Roundtable

Major Initiatives on Border/ Mexico Affairs

Texas Workforce Commission

Major Initiatives

  1. Ramp up of services to TANF recipients in anticipation of the expiration of the federal waiver under welfare reform.
  2. Technical assistance to local boards to enhance their ability to raise local match for child care funds.
  3. Further expansion of models for services in rural communities in the State.
  4. Capacity building for Board members and employees to become more proficient in the oversight of the administration and operation of local workforce development activities.
  5. Workforce Adult Literacy, in particular English as a Second Language (ESL) model development.
  6. Continued development of the Texas Workforce Network.
  7. Coordination with Health and Human Services Commission on Colonia Initiative.

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs

Major Initiatives

  1. Colonias Self-Help Center: In 1995, the 74th:Legislature passed Senate Bill 1509; a legislative directive to establish five (5) self-help centers in Cameron/Willacy, El Paso, Hidalgo, Starr, and Webb counties. Five colonias in each county will receive concentrated attention from the appropriate self-help center. We are in the process of opening two more centers in Val Verde and Maverick County.
  2. Colonia Self-Help Advisory Committee: The 77th Legislature amended §2306.584 of the Government Code to rename the Department's colonia advisory committee the Colonia Self-Help Advisory Committee. The Department is directed to establish a Colonia Resident Advisory Committee to advise the Department on the needs of colonia residents, activities to be provided and program to be undertaken in the selected colonias. The Governor shall appoint the new board members.
  3. Contract For Deed Consumer Education Program: In 1995, the 74th Legislature created Senate Bill 336, a legislative directive that amends the Texas Property Code to govern contract for deed transactions in designated counties in Texas. The legislature enacted a comprehensive regulatory procedure for contracts for deed because of the proliferation of colonias and substandard housing developments lacking adequate infrastructure creating serious and unacceptable health risks for the residents of these areas. The law also required the creation of a consumer education program to educate consumers about the new provisional rights and to protect them from dishonest sellers when they use a contract for deed to buy residential land along the Texas-Mexico border. The consumer education program specifically educates residents about the statutory requirements set out in the Texas Property Code. These include Spanish language requirement, advance property condition and financial terms disclosure, buyer default and foreclosure rights, annual accounting statement trustee sale rather than cancellation in certain circumstances, deceptive trade practice liability, applicable fines for the seller for certain contract violations and other clauses that pertain to the contract for deed transaction. During the 77th Legislative session SB 198 was created. This bill repeals and amends the Property Code to apply the border area contract for deed homebuyers protections statewide and deletes the requirements for TDHCA to determine which counties the provisions apply.
  4. Contract For Deed Conversion Initiative: As a result, during the 76th Legislative session, Appropriations Rider 14 requires the Department to spend no less than $4 million on contract for deed conversions for families that reside in a colonia and earn 60% or less of the Applicable Area Median Family Income (AMFI) and convert no less 400 contracts for deed into traditional notes and deeds of trust by August 31, 2001. During the 77th Legislative session, the CFDC Program continues.
  5. Texas Bootstrap Loan Program: Senate Bill 1287 requires the Department to establish a loan program, working through certified nonprofit organizations, enabling owner-builders to purchase real estate, construct a home, or renovate a home; and to solicit gifts and grants to fund the program. The Texas Bootstrap Owner-Builder Loan Program is designed to promote and enhance homeownership for very low income Texans by providing loan funds to purchase or refinance real property on which to build new residential housing, construct new residential housing or improve existing residential housing. Five non-profit organizations were awarded funds to implement the program in the cities of El Paso, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Brownsville and San Juan, Texas. Phase II of this initiative will commence in the fall 2001.
  6. Builder Incentive Pilot Partnership Program: As a result, during the 76th Legislative session, HB 2281 was created to implement Subchapter EE, Chapter 2306 of the Texas Government Code and commonly referred to as the Builder Incentive Partnership Program. The Builder Incentive Partnership Program was created to provide incentives to builders to build homes at or below $70,000, while guaranteeing the purchase of the home if it is not sold within 30 days after completion. This concept is anticipated to provide incentives for builders to work in the lowest end of the market. TDHCA has partnered with Fannie Mae, International Bank of Commerce, a builder and a non-profit to implement program in Laredo, Texas.
  7. Loan Guarantee Pilot Program: As a result, during the 76th Legislative session, SB 867 was created to implement Subchapter K, Chapter 2306, of the Texas Government Code and commonly referred to as the Contract For Deed Conversion - Loan Guarantee Program. The Department has been working diligently to design and implement a Contract for Deed Conversion - Loan Guarantee Program. TDHCA has partnered with a non-profit and Loan Star Bank to implement program in Starr County.
  8. Colonia Model Subdivision: As a result, during the 76th Legislative session, C.S.S.B. 322 requires the Department to establish a colonia model subdivision revolving loan fund to promote the development of new, high-quality residential subdivisions that provide alternatives to substandard colonias and affordable housing options for persons who would otherwise move into colonias. $2 million from the set-aside from any available source of revenue.
  9. The purpose of this program is to build communities by awarding technical assistance and operating grants provided by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to existing and potential Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs). To assist existing and potential CHDOs in strengthening the capacity of their organizations to create more productive, resilient and successful communities. This program is geared to organizations operating in the Colonias in Texas. The objective is to increase the ability of existing and potential CHDOs to produce affordable housing; enable existing and potential CHDOs to become more effective community builders; strengthen the technical capacity and sophistication of existing and potential CHDOs; provide a resource that enables existing and potential CHDOs to leverage funds; and to contribute to the stability and resilience of existing and potential CHDOs. The HOME Program is overseeing this initiative.

Texas Department of Transportation

Major Initiatives

For information on TxDOT activities relating to Mexico and the border, please go to the TxDOT International Relations Office web site and click on Publications, and see the current International Activities Report and the current Texas-Mexico International Bridges and Border Crossings Existing and Proposed.

Office of the Attorney General

Major Initiatives

  1. Colonia Enforcement
  2. Article 4 Prosecutions/Extradition's
  3. Money Laundering Investigations
  4. Auto Theft Recovery
  5. Child Support Enforcement
  6. Consular Notification

  7. Outreach

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Major Initiatives

  1. Response to drought and severe lack of water in the Rio Grande
  2. Work with other US-Mexico border states, EPA, & Mexico's environment ministry (SEMARNAT) on the next phase of the binational border protection plan
  3. Work with Mexican sister states to implement state-state programs, including recognition programs for industry

Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Major Initiatives

  1. World Birding Center
  2. Aquatic Vegetation control in the Rio Grande
  3. Texas Academy of Science meeting in Laredo, March 1 &2, 2002

Texas Department of Health

Major Initiatives

  1. Tuberculosis (TB) Elimination Activities
    1. Binational TB Card
    2. Sister City Tuberculosis Projects
    3. Ten Against TB
    4. Collaboration with UT Tyler to evaluate TB molecular epidemiology in the Rio Grande Valley
    5. Contracts with private hospital in Lower Rio Grande Valley to treat in-patient TB cases and provide other services

Texas Department of Insurance

Major Initiatives

  1. SB 693 Implementation - Develop program for the sale of short term liability insurance policies for Mexican motorists.
  2. SB 326 Implementation - Participate in the Texas Department of Commerce coordinated initiative unit to create a Texas-Mexico Commerce and International Relations Coordinated Plan.
  3. HB 2498 Implementation established an interim committee, including the Commissioner of Insurance, to hold hearings on the health care needs of Texas border areas and determine the need for binational health care plan coverage.
  4. SB 496 Implementation - The Texas Department of Insurance and the Texas Department of Health to jointly study impediments to providing binational health benefit plan coverage ad make recommendations to facilitate the provision of such coverage. Also calls for the appointment of an advisory committee to help with the study and submit a report.
  5. HB 2191 Implementation - Modifies eligibility requirements for participating in the state's health risk pool; extends eligibility to Texas residents who are not US citizens who have three years of residency in the state.
  6. HB 3393 Implementation - Develop an informational sheet in Spanish that provides a general explanation of commonly used terms in Texas personal automobile policies.
  7. Ongoing participation on National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) International Insurance Relations (H) Committee and NAFTA Working Group on cross border insurance issues.
  8. Ongoing participation on the NAFTA Trinational Insurance Working Group on cross border trucking insurance issues and NAFTA Financial Services Committee.
  9. Continue to provide technical and expert advice to US Department of Commerce, the entity responsible for insurance under the NAFTA.

Texas Department of Public Safety

Major Initiatives

  1. Increased Commercial Vehicle Safety Inspections at ports-of-entry and in the border commercial zones.
  2. Operating seven (7) temporary border safety inspection facilities constructed by TxDOT at seven of the eight largest ports-of-entry. Conducting daily commercial vehicle safety inspections at all eight during the hours US Customs allows commercial vehicles to enter the US.
  3. Monitoring weigh-in-motion scales provided by TxDOT at the eight (8) largest ports-of-entry.
  4. Working with TxDOT in developing permanent Border Safety Inspection Facilities for the eight (8) largest ports-of-entry.
  5. Working with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to obtain federal funding for staffing of Border Safety Inspection Facilities.
  6. Working with TxDOT in developing a model border crossing facility for commercial vehicles.

Health & Human Services Commission

Major Initiatives

  1. The Initiative is a collaborative effort between 10 health and human services agencies as well as the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and the Texas A&M Colonias Program. This partnership has been successful in integrating employment, education, and health and human services in colonias along the Texas-Mexico border. Currently, 11 colonia sites are targeted for outreach services in Texas A&M community centers serving colonias in the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo and El Paso areas. The Initiative incorporates the use of promotoras to link agencies to colonia residents and utilizes community centers to provide agency services and community education.
  2. The lead person for the Initiative is David Luna, Director of the Office of Border Affairs at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). Mr. Luna can be reached by telephone at (956) 444-3256 or by e-mail at David.Luna@hhsc.state.tx.us.

Texas Department of Economic Development

Major Initiatives

  1. Trade lead development
  2. Assist small & medium companies with international trade
  3. NAFTA assistance
  4. Corporate Expansion/Recruitment

Texas Water Development Board

Major Initiatives

  1. water/sewer for colonia
  2. evaluating potential regional solutions
  3. continued water planning; possibly include Mexico
  4. data gathering for water information; both counties

Texas Education Agency

Major Initiatives

  1. utilities for colonias
  2. level of formal education for overall population
  3. dropout percentages
  4. binational migrant student

Railroad Commission of Texas

Major Initiatives

    1. For the purposes of the State Agency Advisory Roundtable On Border-Mexico Affairs (SAARBMA), the major initiatives that the Commission is currently focused on with regard to the border region are well plugging and site remediation, streamlining the natural gas transportation permitting process across the border, promoting bilingual propane safety, and rail crossings.

    2. In fiscal year 2001, the Railroad Commission plugged 336 abandoned wells at a cost to the Oil Field Cleanup fund of $1,839,550 in the border region. In addition, the Commission remediated 27 contaminated sites in the border region at a cost to the Oil Field Cleanup fund of $284,861.37.

    3. Also, the Commission entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Secretary of State, Texas Historical Commission, Texas General Land Office, and the Public Utility Commission recognizing that the energy needs of the citizens of Texas and Mexico could be met more efficiently if the permitting process in the State of Texas were organized in a manner that reduces the number of agency contacts a potential permittee must make in regards to building crossborder natural gas pipelines.

    4. In addition, as the Texas Hispanic population increases, it is important that the Railroad Commission provide propane and rail safety materials in Spanish, as well as in English. The Railroad Commission is responding to this Hispanic population growth by continuing to make available consumer safety and awareness information in Spanish.

Texas General Land Office

Major Initiatives

  1. Working with a wide variety of state and federal agencies, the General Land Office organizes an annual Border Energy Forum to bring together energy experts, government officials and business leaders from both sides of the border. They discuss the region's current and future energy needs and their relationship to the environment. The ninth annual Forum is being planned for October 24 and 25, 2002, in Saltillo, Coahuila.

  2. The border program has started a bilingual energy education project working with counterpart agencies in Chihuahua and New Mexico. It also has helped form www.borderenergy.org as a regional Web site promoting energy efficiency and sustainable energy.