INTERAGENCY COORDINATION OF COLONIA INITIATIVES

(a) The governor may designate an agency to act as the state's colonia initiatives coordinator. (b) If appointed under Subsection (a), the colonia initiatives coordinator shall coordinate colonia initiatives within the agency and with the other agencies and local officials involved in colonia projects in the state. (c) The colonia initiatives coordinator shall work with the other agencies and local officials involved in colonia projects in the state to: (1) coordinate efforts to address colonia issues; (2) identify nonprofit self-help groups to help with colonia initiatives; (3) set goals for each state fiscal year for colonia initiatives in the state, including goals to: (A) address easement problems; and (B) ensure that water and wastewater connections are extended from distribution lines to houses located in colonias; (4) ensure that the goals set under this subsection are met each state fiscal year; and (5) coordinate state outreach efforts to nonborder colonias and to political subdivisions capable of providing water and wastewater services to nonborder colonias. (d) The following agencies shall designate an officer or employee of the agency to serve as the agency's liaison for colonia initiatives: (1) the office of the attorney general; (2) the Department of State Health Services; (3) the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs; (4) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; (5) the Texas Water Development Board; (6) the Texas Department of Rural Affairs; (7) the Office of State-Federal Relations; (8) the Texas Department of Insurance; and (9) the Texas Department of Transportation. (e) Each agency's liaison for colonia initiatives under Subsection (d) must be a deputy executive director or a person of equivalent or higher authority at the agency. This subsection does not authorize the creation of a new position for colonia coordination at a state agency. (f) In coordinating colonia initiatives under this section, the coordinator shall consider the advice and recommendations of the Colonia Resident Advisory Committee established under Section 2306.584.