1-1     By:  Hunter, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro)        H.B. No. 1811

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 21, 1997;

 1-3     April 22, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on State

 1-4     Affairs; May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-5     Yeas 13, Nays 0; May 16, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the

 1-9     creation of the Texas Historical Records Advisory Board.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Chapter 441, Government Code, is amended by

1-12     adding Subchapter L to read as follows:

1-13           SUBCHAPTER L.  TEXAS HISTORICAL RECORDS ADVISORY BOARD

1-14           Sec. 441.201.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:

1-15                 (1)  "Board" means the Texas Historical Records

1-16     Advisory Board.

1-17                 (2)  "Commission" means the Texas State Library and

1-18     Archives Commission.

1-19                 (3)  "Director and librarian" means the executive and

1-20     administrative officer of the commission.

1-21                 (4)  "Historical records coordinator" means the

1-22     presiding officer of the board.

1-23                 (5)  "National commission" means the National

1-24     Historical Publications and Records Commission.

1-25           Sec. 441.202.  TEXAS HISTORICAL RECORDS ADVISORY BOARD.

1-26     (a)  The Texas Historical Records Advisory Board is established to

1-27     serve as the central advisory body for historical records planning

1-28     and projects funded by the national commission that are developed

1-29     and implemented in this state.

1-30           (b)  The board shall:

1-31                 (1)  seek funds from the national commission to sponsor

1-32     and publish surveys of the conditions and needs of historical

1-33     records in the state;

1-34                 (2)  solicit and develop proposals for projects to be

1-35     implemented in the state with funds provided by the national

1-36     commission and other funding sources;

1-37                 (3)  review proposals submitted by institutions in the

1-38     state and make recommendations to the national commission;

1-39                 (4)  work with the commission to develop, revise, and

1-40     submit state priorities to the national commission for historical

1-41     records projects following guidelines developed by the national

1-42     commission;

1-43                 (5)  review the operation and progress of records

1-44     projects in the state;

1-45                 (6)  foster and support cooperative networks and

1-46     programs dealing with historical records in conjunction with the

1-47     commission's goals; and

1-48                 (7)  develop and promote programs to raise public

1-49     awareness of the value, condition, and needs of historical records.

1-50           Sec. 441.203.  COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD.  (a)  The board is

1-51     composed of:

1-52                 (1)  the state archivist, who shall be appointed as the

1-53     historical records coordinator by the governor;

1-54                 (2)  two public members, appointed by the governor; and

1-55                 (3)  six members, appointed by the director and

1-56     librarian, who must have recognized experience in the

1-57     administration of government records, historical records, or

1-58     archives.

1-59           (b)  The historical records coordinator shall serve as

1-60     presiding officer of the board.

1-61           Sec. 441.204.  TERMS.  (a)  The historical records

1-62     coordinator serves a four-year term.

1-63           (b)  The two public members appointed by the governor serve

1-64     staggered terms of three years with the terms of the members

 2-1     expiring on February 1 of different years.

 2-2           (c)  The six members appointed by the director and librarian

 2-3     serve staggered terms of three years with the terms of one-third of

 2-4     the members expiring on February 1 of each year.

 2-5           Sec. 441.205.  COMPENSATION.  A member of the board is not

 2-6     entitled to compensation but is entitled to reimbursement from

 2-7     board funds for the travel expenses incurred by the member while

 2-8     conducting the business of the board, as provided in the General

 2-9     Appropriations Act.

2-10           Sec. 441.206.  VACANCY.  A vacancy on the board shall be

2-11     filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

2-12           SECTION 2.  As soon as possible after the effective date of

2-13     this Act, the governor and the director and librarian shall appoint

2-14     the initial members of the Texas Historical Records Advisory Board.

2-15     In making the initial appointments, the governor shall designate

2-16     the historical records coordinator for a term expiring February 1,

2-17     2001, one member for a term expiring February 1, 1999, and one

2-18     member for a term expiring February 1, 2000.  The director and

2-19     librarian shall designate two members for terms expiring February

2-20     1, 1999, two members for terms expiring February 1, 2000, and two

2-21     members for terms expiring February 1, 2001.

2-22           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-23           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-25     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-26     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-27     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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