What is a “border county”?
In accordance with Senate Bill 1421 of the 76th Regular Legislative Session, the Office of the Secretary of State uses the term “border county” to address those areas that are within 50 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, an area where most of the state’s colonias exist. These counties are considered “economically distressed areas” that must enforce the model subdivision rules (i.e. model water and wastewater systems) and, with the help of state funding, initiate similar projects in the colonias within their boundaries. The 50-mile zone includes 32 border counties and according to the 2003 Texas Water Development Board Needs Assessment approximately 2,294 colonias. The State of Texas, however, has not formally adopted a specific definition of a “border county.” Therefore, the applied definition of a “border county” is interpreted differently within the various government agencies and organizations in order to address a certain issue.
