1-1 By: Woolley (Senate Sponsor - Brown) H.B. No. 2182
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 6, 1995;
1-3 April 10, 1995, read first time and referred to Committee on
1-4 Finance; May 9, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 9, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to use of funds in the operation game thief fund and
1-9 membership of the Operation Game Thief Committee.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 12.201, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
1-12 amended to read as follows:
1-13 Sec. 12.201. Creation of Fund. The department may accept
1-14 and deposit in a special fund outside the state treasury, called
1-15 the operation game thief fund, donations from any person made for
1-16 purposes of this subchapter. Funds deposited in the operation game
1-17 thief fund may be used only for the maintenance of that fund,
1-18 promotion of the operation game thief program through advertisement
1-19 and marketing, and payment of rewards and death benefits authorized
1-20 by this subchapter. The Operation Game Thief Committee shall adopt
1-21 rules for the implementation of the operation game thief program
1-22 and maintenance of the operation game thief fund.
1-23 SECTION 2. Section 12.202, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
1-24 amended to read as follows:
1-25 Sec. 12.202. Operation Game Thief Committee. (a) The
1-26 director shall appoint an Operation Game Thief Committee composed
1-27 of nine members to administer the operation game thief fund and to
1-28 make reward payments and death benefit payments from that fund.
1-29 The director shall appoint persons who are not employees of the
1-30 department and who have a demonstrated interest in game and fish
1-31 conservation. The director may consider the recommendations or
1-32 nominations of any club or association. The director shall
1-33 designate one of the members as chairman of the committee. The
1-34 director may appoint a former committee member to serve as chairman
1-35 emeritus if the director determines the appointment is in the best
1-36 interest of the operation game thief program. The chairman
1-37 emeritus has the same rights and duties as a committee member. The
1-38 director or an employee designated by the director for that purpose
1-39 shall serve as secretary to the committee. A member of the
1-40 committee serves without compensation.
1-41 (b) Each member of the committee, including the chairman
1-42 emeritus, serves a term of six years. The terms of one-third of
1-43 the members, excluding the chairman emeritus, expire on January 31
1-44 of each odd-numbered year. The term of the chairman emeritus
1-45 expires on the date of the sixth anniversary after the day the
1-46 chairman emeritus is appointed. The director may reappoint
1-47 members.
1-48 (c) The committee shall meet at least one time <two times>
1-49 each calendar year at the department's office in Austin or at a
1-50 location designated by the chairman of the committee. Four <Five>
1-51 committee members must be present for approval of disbursement of
1-52 rewards to eligible applicants and death benefit payments to
1-53 eligible recipients. Except as provided by Subsection (d), if the
1-54 vote for approval of disbursements of rewards or death benefits
1-55 results in a tie vote, no action may be taken until the next
1-56 meeting of the committee.
1-57 (d) If the vote of the full membership of the committee,
1-58 including a chairman emeritus, results in a tie vote, the chairman
1-59 of the committee may vote a second time to break the tie.
1-60 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
1-61 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-62 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-63 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-64 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-65 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-66 * * * * *