By Johnson, Kubiak H.B. No. 2524
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation and operation of a commission to
1-3 coordinate the celebration of the bicentennial of the birth of
1-4 Stephen F. Austin.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. COMMISSION. (a) The Stephen F. Austin
1-7 Bicentennial Celebration Commission is created and is composed of:
1-8 (1) seven public members appointed by the governor:
1-9 (A) one member from Stephen F. Austin State
1-10 University;
1-11 (B) one member from among the residents of the
1-12 city of Austin;
1-13 (C) one member from among the residents of
1-14 Austin County;
1-15 (D) one member from Austin College in Sherman;
1-16 (E) two members from the state at large; and
1-17 (F) one member from among the residents of the
1-18 Old Austin Colony, which includes Brazoria, Colorado, Fort Bend,
1-19 Galveston, Harris, Matagorda, Waller, Washington, and Wharton
1-20 counties;
1-21 (2) two members of the senate appointed by the
1-22 lieutenant governor to serve as ex officio members;
1-23 (3) two members of the house of representatives
1-24 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives to serve
2-1 as ex officio members;
2-2 (4) the executive director of the Texas Historical
2-3 Commission serving as an ex officio member; and
2-4 (5) the director and librarian of the Texas State
2-5 Library and Archives Commission serving as an ex officio member.
2-6 (b) A member of the legislature vacates the person's
2-7 position on the commission if the person ceases to be a member of
2-8 the legislature. A vacancy is filled by the appointing officer in
2-9 the same manner as the original appointment.
2-10 (c) An ex officio member may designate a representative to
2-11 serve in the member's absence. A representative designated under
2-12 this subsection must be an officer or employee of the member's
2-13 state agency or house of the legislature.
2-14 (d) Each member is a voting member. The duties performed by
2-15 a state officer or employee as a member of the commission
2-16 constitute additional duties of the office or employment.
2-17 (e) Appointments of the public members to the commission
2-18 shall be made without regard to the race, color, handicap, sex,
2-19 religion, age, or national origin of the appointee.
2-20 (f) A member of the commission is not liable to civil action
2-21 for any act performed in good faith in the execution of duties as a
2-22 commission member.
2-23 (g) The commission is subject to the open meetings law,
2-24 Chapter 271, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967
2-25 (Article 6252-17, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), and its
2-26 subsequent amendments and the Administrative Procedure and Texas
2-27 Register Act (Article 6252-13a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) and
3-1 its subsequent amendments.
3-2 SECTION 2. TERMS. Public members of the commission hold
3-3 office until December 31, 1993.
3-4 SECTION 3. OFFICERS. At its first meeting, the commission
3-5 shall elect one of its members to serve as presiding officer. The
3-6 presiding officer is entitled to vote on all matters before the
3-7 commission.
3-8 SECTION 4. COMPENSATION. A public member of the commission
3-9 may not receive compensation for serving on the commission. A
3-10 public member is entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary
3-11 expenses incurred in performing functions as a member of the
3-12 commission, subject to any applicable limitation on reimbursement
3-13 provided by the General Appropriations Act.
3-14 SECTION 5. MEETINGS. The commission shall meet monthly at
3-15 the call of the presiding officer and as provided by commission
3-16 rule. Regularly scheduled meetings shall be held at Stephen F.
3-17 Austin State University in Nacogdoches. Special meetings may be
3-18 held at other locations in the state.
3-19 SECTION 6. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. (a)
3-20 The commission may adopt rules as necessary for its own procedures.
3-21 (b) The commission shall coordinate state and local
3-22 activities relating to the celebration of the bicentennial of the
3-23 birth of Stephen F. Austin.
3-24 (c) The commission may encourage individuals, private
3-25 organizations, and local governmental bodies to organize
3-26 appropriate activities and may gather and disseminate information
3-27 to the public relating to those activities.
4-1 (d) The commission may accept gifts and grants from any
4-2 source to be used by the commission in performing its functions
4-3 under this Act.
4-4 SECTION 7. FINAL REPORT. (a) As soon after November 3,
4-5 1993, as the commission determines that it has completed its work
4-6 and has satisfied its financial obligations, but not later than
4-7 December 31, 1993, the commission shall file with the secretary of
4-8 state a final report verified by a certified public accountant that
4-9 shows:
4-10 (1) the total amount of contributions received by the
4-11 commission during the commission's existence;
4-12 (2) the total amount of expenditures made by the
4-13 commission from nonappropriated funds; and
4-14 (3) the total amount of nonappropriated funds
4-15 remaining in the commission's possession.
4-16 (b) On the date on which the commission files its final
4-17 report with the secretary of state, the commission shall deliver to
4-18 the state treasurer all unexpended nonappropriated funds it
4-19 possesses. The treasurer shall deposit the funds in the state
4-20 treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.
4-21 SECTION 8. As soon as possible after the effective date of
4-22 this Act, the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
4-23 house of representatives shall appoint to the Stephen F. Austin
4-24 Bicentennial Celebration Commission the members as required by
4-25 Section 1 of this Act.
4-26 SECTION 9. EXPIRATION. This Act expires and the commission
4-27 is abolished effective December 31, 1993.
5-1 SECTION 10. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
5-2 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
5-6 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
5-7 passage, and it is so enacted.