By Craddick H.B. No. 735
74R3815 SRC-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to uses of balances in the inaugural fund; making
1-3 appropriations.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 401, Government Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 401.011 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 401.011. GOVERNOR'S ENDOWMENT FUND; LIEUTENANT
1-8 GOVERNOR'S ENDOWMENT FUND. (a) To the extent that the balance of
1-9 the inaugural fund exceeds $100,000 plus the amount necessary to
1-10 cover fund obligations, on the date the inaugural committee is
1-11 dissolved that balance shall be transferred in equal shares to
1-12 accounts in the general revenue fund to be known respectively as
1-13 the governor's endowment fund and the lieutenant governor's
1-14 endowment fund. The funds shall be administered and expended in
1-15 accordance with this section.
1-16 (b) The funds may be expended for educational, historical,
1-17 or charitable purposes, or for the improvement of state property,
1-18 at the discretion of the respective governing committees. The
1-19 funds may be expended only for projects or purposes that solely or
1-20 primarily benefit the State of Texas and Texas residents.
1-21 (c) The governor shall appoint three persons to the
1-22 governor's endowment fund committee, and the lieutenant governor
1-23 shall appoint three persons to the lieutenant governor's endowment
1-24 fund committee. Notwithstanding other law, the spouse of the
2-1 governor or lieutenant governor may be appointed to the committee.
2-2 (d) The governor or lieutenant governor, as applicable,
2-3 shall designate the chair of the committee. Members of the
2-4 committee serve for terms of two years, expiring on the third
2-5 Tuesday in January in odd-numbered years. Committee members serve
2-6 without compensation or reimbursement for travel or personal
2-7 expenses incurred in carrying out committee duties.
2-8 (e) In addition to the transfer from the inaugural fund,
2-9 each committee may accept contributions of money for deposit in the
2-10 appropriate fund or gifts of services in support of committee
2-11 activities.
2-12 (f) Not later than October 1 of each year, each committee
2-13 shall publish a report detailing contributions received and
2-14 expenditures made during the 12 months ending on the September 1
2-15 preceding the report.
2-16 (g) Each committee is a governmental body for purposes of
2-17 Chapters 551 and 552 but is not subject to Chapter 2001.
2-18 (h) Sections 403.094 and 403.095 do not apply to the
2-19 governor's endowment fund or the lieutenant governor's endowment
2-20 fund.
2-21 SECTION 2. For the biennium ending August 31, 1995, the
2-22 balance of the governor's endowment fund and the lieutenant
2-23 governor's endowment fund is appropriated to the respective
2-24 committees established pursuant to Section 401.011, Government
2-25 Code, as added by this Act, for the purposes provided by that
2-26 section.
2-27 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-5 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-6 passage, and it is so enacted.