By: Johnson H.B. No. 2524 73R6651 MJW-F 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) six 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 and 1-17 (E) two members from the state at large; 1-18 (2) one member of the senate appointed by the 1-19 lieutenant governor to serve as an ex officio member; 1-20 (3) one member of the house of representatives 1-21 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives to serve 1-22 as an ex officio member; 1-23 (4) the executive director of the Texas Historical 1-24 Commission serving as an ex officio member; and 2-1 (5) the director and librarian of the Texas State 2-2 Library and Archives Commission serving as an ex officio member. 2-3 (b) A member of the legislature vacates the person's 2-4 position on the commission if the person ceases to be a member of 2-5 the legislature. A vacancy is filled by the appointing officer in 2-6 the same manner as the original appointment. 2-7 (c) An ex officio member may designate a representative to 2-8 serve in the member's absence. A representative designated under 2-9 this subsection must be an officer or employee of the member's 2-10 state agency or house of the legislature. 2-11 (d) Each member is a voting member. The duties performed by 2-12 a state officer or employee as a member of the commission 2-13 constitute additional duties of the office or employment. 2-14 (e) Appointments of the public members to the commission 2-15 shall be made without regard to the race, color, handicap, sex, 2-16 religion, age, or national origin of the appointee. 2-17 (f) A member of the commission is not liable to civil action 2-18 for any act performed in good faith in the execution of duties as a 2-19 commission member. 2-20 (g) The commission is subject to the open meetings law, 2-21 Chapter 271, Acts of the 60th Legislature, Regular Session, 1967 2-22 (Article 6252-17, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), and its 2-23 subsequent amendments and the Administrative Procedure and Texas 2-24 Register Act (Article 6252-13a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) and 2-25 its subsequent amendments. 2-26 SECTION 2. TERMS. Public members of the commission hold 2-27 office until December 31, 1993. 3-1 SECTION 3. OFFICERS. At its first meeting, the commission 3-2 shall elect one of its members to serve as presiding officer. The 3-3 presiding officer is entitled to vote on all matters before the 3-4 commission. 3-5 SECTION 4. COMPENSATION. A public member of the commission 3-6 may not receive compensation for serving on the commission. A 3-7 public member is entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary 3-8 expenses incurred in performing functions as a member of the 3-9 commission, subject to any applicable limitation on reimbursement 3-10 provided by the General Appropriations Act. 3-11 SECTION 5. MEETINGS. The commission shall meet monthly at 3-12 the call of the presiding officer and as provided by commission 3-13 rule. Regularly scheduled meetings shall be held at Stephen F. 3-14 Austin State University in Nacogdoches. Special meetings may be 3-15 held at other locations in the state. 3-16 SECTION 6. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. (a) 3-17 The commission may adopt rules as necessary for its own procedures. 3-18 (b) The commission shall coordinate state and local 3-19 activities relating to the celebration of the bicentennial of the 3-20 birth of Stephen F. Austin. 3-21 (c) The commission may encourage individuals, private 3-22 organizations, and local governmental bodies to organize 3-23 appropriate activities and may gather and disseminate information 3-24 to the public relating to those activities. 3-25 (d) The commission may accept gifts and grants from any 3-26 source to be used by the commission in performing its functions 3-27 under this Act. 4-1 SECTION 7. FINAL REPORT. (a) As soon after November 3, 4-2 1993, as the commission determines that it has completed its work 4-3 and has satisfied its financial obligations, but not later than 4-4 December 31, 1993, the commission shall file with the secretary of 4-5 state a final report verified by a certified public accountant that 4-6 shows: 4-7 (1) the total amount of contributions received by the 4-8 commission during the commission's existence; 4-9 (2) the total amount of expenditures made by the 4-10 commission from nonappropriated funds; and 4-11 (3) the total amount of nonappropriated funds 4-12 remaining in the commission's possession. 4-13 (b) On the date on which the commission files its final 4-14 report with the secretary of state, the commission shall deliver to 4-15 the state treasurer all unexpended nonappropriated funds it 4-16 possesses. The treasurer shall deposit the funds in the state 4-17 treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund. 4-18 SECTION 8. As soon as possible after the effective date of 4-19 this Act, the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the 4-20 house of representatives shall appoint to the Stephen F. Austin 4-21 Bicentennial Celebration Commission the members as required by 4-22 Section 1 of this Act. 4-23 SECTION 9. EXPIRATION. This Act expires and the commission 4-24 is abolished effective December 31, 1993. 4-25 SECTION 10. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation 4-26 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 5-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 5-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 5-3 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 5-4 passage, and it is so enacted.