By Haggerty H.B. No. 1846
74R5018 MJW-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment of the El Paso Quadricentennial
1-3 Commission.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "commission" means the
1-6 El Paso Quadricentennial Commission.
1-7 SECTION 2. COMMISSION CREATED; COMPOSITION. (a) The El
1-8 Paso Quadricentennial Commission is created.
1-9 (b) The commission is composed of nine members appointed by
1-10 the governor as follows:
1-11 (1) each of the two state senators who represent El
1-12 Paso in the legislature shall submit a list of nominees to the
1-13 governor and the governor shall appoint two members from each list;
1-14 and
1-15 (2) each of the state representatives who represent El
1-16 Paso in the legislature shall submit a list of nominees to the
1-17 governor and the governor shall appoint one member from each list.
1-18 (c) Appointments to the commission shall be made without
1-19 regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or
1-20 national origin of the appointee.
1-21 (d) A person required to submit a list of nominees to the
1-22 governor under Subsection (b) shall submit the list not later than
1-23 September 1, 1995. The governor shall appoint nine commission
1-24 members from the nominee lists not later than December 1, 1995.
2-1 (e) A vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same
2-2 manner as the original appointment.
2-3 SECTION 3. PRESIDING OFFICER; MEETINGS. (a) The commission
2-4 shall elect one of its members to serve as presiding officer. The
2-5 presiding officer is entitled to vote on all matters before the
2-6 commission.
2-7 (b) The commission shall meet monthly at the call of the
2-8 presiding officer.
2-9 SECTION 4. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. (a) The
2-10 commission shall plan a celebration and festival commemorating the
2-11 quadricentennial of the first Thanksgiving, celebrated on the banks
2-12 of the Rio Grande on April 30, 1598, by colonists led by Don Juan
2-13 de Onate.
2-14 (b) The commission may exercise powers necessary to plan and
2-15 hold the quadricentennial celebration, including:
2-16 (1) contracting with other entities for goods or
2-17 services; and
2-18 (2) soliciting, accepting, and using gifts and grants
2-19 for the purpose of performing its functions under this Act.
2-20 (c) No public money other than gifts and grants to the
2-21 commission may be used by the commission in performing its
2-22 functions under this Act.
2-23 SECTION 5. FINAL REPORT. (a) As soon after April 30, 1998,
2-24 as the commission determines that it has completed its work and has
2-25 satisfied its financial obligations, but not later than December
2-26 31, 1998, the commission shall file with the secretary of state a
2-27 final report verified by a certified public accountant that shows:
3-1 (1) the total amount of contributions received by the
3-2 commission during the commission's existence;
3-3 (2) the total amount of expenditures made by the
3-4 commission; and
3-5 (3) the total amount of money remaining in the
3-6 commission's possession.
3-7 (b) On the date on which the commission files its final
3-8 report with the secretary of state, the commission shall deliver to
3-9 the state treasurer all unexpended and unobligated money that the
3-10 commission possesses. The treasurer shall deposit the money in the
3-11 state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.
3-12 SECTION 6. EXPIRATION. This Act expires and the commission
3-13 is abolished effective December 31, 1998.
3-14 SECTION 7. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
3-15 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-19 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-20 passage, and it is so enacted.