1-1 By: Rosson S.B. No. 1163
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 9, 1995; March 15, 1995, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental
1-4 Relations; May 3, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 3, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the establishment of the El Paso Quadricentennial
1-9 Commission.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "commission" means the
1-12 El Paso Quadricentennial Commission.
1-13 SECTION 2. COMMISSION CREATED; COMPOSITION. (a) The El
1-14 Paso Quadricentennial Commission is created.
1-15 (b) The commission is composed of nine members appointed by
1-16 the governor as follows:
1-17 (1) each of the two state senators who represent El
1-18 Paso in the legislature shall submit a list of nominees to the
1-19 governor and the governor shall appoint two members from each list;
1-20 and
1-21 (2) each of the state representatives who represent El
1-22 Paso in the legislature shall submit a list of nominees to the
1-23 governor and the governor shall appoint one member from each list.
1-24 (c) Appointments to the commission shall be made without
1-25 regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or
1-26 national origin of the appointee.
1-27 (d) A person required to submit a list of nominees to the
1-28 governor under Subsection (b) of this section shall submit the list
1-29 not later than September 1, 1995. The governor shall appoint nine
1-30 commission members from the nominee lists not later than December
1-31 1, 1995.
1-32 (e) A vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same
1-33 manner as the original appointment.
1-34 SECTION 3. PRESIDING OFFICER; MEETINGS. (a) The commission
1-35 shall elect one of its members to serve as presiding officer. The
1-36 presiding officer is entitled to vote on all matters before the
1-37 commission.
1-38 (b) The commission shall meet monthly at the call of the
1-39 presiding officer.
1-40 SECTION 4. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. (a) The
1-41 commission shall plan a celebration and festival commemorating the
1-42 quadricentennial of the first Thanksgiving, celebrated on the banks
1-43 of the Rio Grande on April 30, 1598, by colonists led by Don Juan
1-44 de Onate.
1-45 (b) The commission may exercise powers necessary to plan and
1-46 hold the quadricentennial celebration, including:
1-47 (1) contracting with other entities for goods or
1-48 services; and
1-49 (2) soliciting, accepting, and using gifts and grants
1-50 for the purpose of performing its functions under this Act.
1-51 (c) No public money other than gifts and grants to the
1-52 commission may be used by the commission in performing its
1-53 functions under this Act.
1-54 SECTION 5. FINAL REPORT. (a) As soon after April 30, 1998,
1-55 as the commission determines that it has completed its work and has
1-56 satisfied its financial obligations, but not later than December
1-57 31, 1998, the commission shall file with the secretary of state a
1-58 final report verified by a certified public accountant that shows:
1-59 (1) the total amount of contributions received by the
1-60 commission during the commission's existence;
1-61 (2) the total amount of expenditures made by the
1-62 commission; and
1-63 (3) the total amount of money remaining in the
1-64 commission's possession.
1-65 (b) On the date on which the commission files its final
1-66 report with the secretary of state, the commission shall deliver to
1-67 the state treasurer all unexpended and unobligated money that the
1-68 commission possesses. The treasurer shall deposit the money in the
2-1 state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.
2-2 SECTION 6. EXPIRATION. This Act expires and the commission
2-3 is abolished effective December 31, 1998.
2-4 SECTION 7. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
2-5 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-9 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-10 passage, and it is so enacted.
2-11 * * * * *