attorney general bills the feds for border security costs

The text as introduced · 463 words

89R4697 CS-D

By: Raymond
H.B. No. 1543

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the recovery by the attorney general from the federal

government of certain border security expenditures.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 402, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 402.0211 to read as follows:

Sec. 402.0211. RECOVERY OF CERTAIN BORDER SECURITY

EXPENDITURES. (a) The attorney general shall, not later than the

30th day after the beginning of each state fiscal biennium:

(1) determine the amount of money spent by this state

on border security during the preceding state fiscal biennium;

(2) prepare an invoice requesting payment of the

amount determined under Subdivision (1); and

(3) submit the invoice prepared under Subdivision (2)

to the appropriate agency of the federal government for payment.

(b) The attorney general may request the assistance of the

Legislative Budget Board in making the determination required under

Subsection (a)(1), and the Legislative Budget Board shall provide

the requested assistance.

(c) An invoice submitted under Subsection (a)(3) must

include the date the invoice is due, which must be at least six, but

not more than eight, months after the date the invoice is submitted.

(d) If an invoice submitted under Subsection (a)(3) is paid

on or before the date the invoice is due, the attorney general shall

deposit the payment in the state treasury to the credit of the

general revenue fund.

(e) If an invoice submitted under Subsection (a)(3) is not

timely paid, the attorney general shall bring an action against the

appropriate agency of the federal government to recover the amount

due as stated on the invoice.

(f) The attorney general shall deposit any money received as

a result of an action brought under Subsection (e) in the state

treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.

(g) Notwithstanding any provision of Subsection (a) to the

contrary, for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2025:

(1) the attorney general shall take the actions

described by Subsection (a) not later than March 1, 2026; and

(2) for purposes of Subsection (a)(1), the attorney

general shall determine the amount of money spent by this state on

border security to be the lesser of:

(A) the amount of money spent by this state for

that purpose during the period beginning September 1, 2001, and

ending August 31, 2025; or

(B) $20 billion.

(h) Subsection (g) and this subsection expire August 31,

2027.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect on September 1, 2025.