Relating to certain governmental operations affecting the border region, the official text

H.B. No. 1240

AN ACT

relating to certain governmental operations affecting the border

region.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 2056.002(e)(3), Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(3) "Texas-Mexico border region" means the area

consisting of the counties of Atascosa, Bandera, Bee, Bexar,

Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Crockett, Culberson, Dimmit, Duval,

Edwards, El Paso, Frio, Hidalgo, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Jim Hogg,

Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Kleberg, La Salle,

Live Oak, Loving, Mason, Maverick, McCulloch, McMullen, Medina,

Menard, Nueces, Pecos, Presidio, Reagan, Real, Reeves, San

Patricio, Starr, Sutton, Terrell, Upton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Ward,

Webb, Willacy, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala.

SECTION 2. Section 61.0821(a), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) In this section, "border region" has the meaning

assigned to "Texas-Mexico border region" by Section 2056.002,

Government Code [means the area composed of the counties of

Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Crockett,

Culberson, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, El Paso, Frio, Hidalgo,

Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kerr, Kimble,

Kinney, Kleberg, Live Oak, La Salle, Maverick, McMullen, Medina,

Nueces, Pecos, Presidio, Real, Reeves, San Patricio, Starr, Sutton,

Terrell, Uvalde, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy, Zapata, and Zavala].

SECTION 3. Section 61.506(b), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) Each of the pilot programs must provide services to an

economically depressed or rural medically underserved area of the

state. One pilot program must be located in an urban area, one

pilot program must be located in a rural area, and the remaining

pilot program or programs must be located in the Texas-Mexico

border region as defined by Section 2056.002 [481.001], Government

Code.

SECTION 4. Section 772.011(d), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(d) In this section, "border region" has the meaning

assigned to "Texas-Mexico border region" by Section 2056.002 [means

the portion of this state located within 100 kilometers of this

state's international border].

SECTION 5. Section 120.001(1), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(1) "Border region" has the meaning assigned to

"Texas-Mexico border region" by Section 2056.002, Government Code

[means the area consisting of the counties immediately adjacent to

the international boundary between the United States and Mexico].

SECTION 6. Section 201.109(b), Transportation Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(b) In carrying out this section, the commission shall

provide for:

(1) maximizing the generation of revenue from existing

assets of the department, including real estate;

(2) increasing the role of the private sector and

public-private projects in the leasing of real estate and other

assets in the development of highway projects;

(3) setting and attempting to meet annual revenue

enhancement goals;

(4) reporting on the progress in meeting revenue

enhancement goals in the department's annual report;

(5) contracting for an independent audit of the

department's management and business operations in 2007 and each

12th year after 2007;

(6) developing a cost-benefit analysis between the use

of local materials previously incorporated into roadways versus use

of materials blended or transported from other sources; and

(7) increasing private investment in the

transportation infrastructure, including the acquisition of

causeways, bridges, tunnels, turnpikes, or other transportation

facilities, in the Texas-Mexico border region, as defined by

Section 2056.002, Government Code [including the counties of

Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Crockett,

Culberson, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, El Paso, Frio, Hidalgo,

Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kerr, Kimble,

Kinney, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Medina,

Nueces, Pecos, Presidio, Real, Reeves, San Patricio, Starr, Sutton,

Terrell, Uvalde, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy, Zapata, and Zavala].

SECTION 7. Section 6.112(a), Water Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(a) In this section, "border region" has the meaning

assigned to "Texas-Mexico border region" by Section 2056.002,

Government Code [means the portion of this state located within 100

kilometers of this state's international border].

SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2026.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1240 was passed by the House on April

30, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 128, Nays 7, 2 present, not

voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1240 was passed by the Senate on May

28, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 23, Nays 8.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: _____________________

Date

_____________________

Governor