Border Legislators Meet In El Paso

The 27th annual Border Legislators Conference will open by commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Chamizal Treaty, a binational agreement that settled a longtime territorial dispute at the border.

Texas State Sen. Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso) said a top item of discussion will be binational trade.

"Border security tends to stifle the ability of commerce to flow efficiently at great cost to both countries," Rodriguez said.

Another major topic will be water. Three years of drought has hurt water deliveries to farmers and cities on both sides of the southwest border.

On Saturday, legislators will discuss how the Obama administration's response to new marijuana laws in the states of Washington and Colorado could affect the border region.