By Oliveira                                     H.B. No. 2252

      75R3038 CLG-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to certain projects and programs for residents of a

 1-3     colonia.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code,

 1-6     is amended by adding Section 40.066 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 40.066.  ACCOUNT FOR PROVISION OF SERVICES TO RESIDENTS

 1-8     OF COLONIA.  (a)  The comptroller each fiscal year shall deposit

 1-9     $500,000 of the federal money received by the state under Title XX

1-10     of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1397 et seq.) or for

1-11     community-based services in an account in the general revenue fund

1-12     to be administered by the department under this section.

1-13           (b)  Money in the account may be used only to provide:

1-14                 (1)  community-based services to children who reside in

1-15     a colonia and are at risk of being placed in a foster home; and

1-16                 (2)  social services under Title XX of the Social

1-17     Security Act to residents of a colonia who are eligible to receive

1-18     those services.

1-19           (c)  The department may contract with a community resource

1-20     center established by Texas A&M University and located in a colonia

1-21     to provide the services described by Subsection (b).

1-22           (d)  In this section, "colonia" has the meaning assigned by

1-23     Section 2306.581, Government Code.

1-24           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 481, Government Code, is

 2-1     amended by adding Section 481.030 to read as follows:

 2-2           Sec. 481.030.  ACCOUNT FOR PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS TO ASSIST

 2-3     RESIDENTS OF COLONIA.  (a)  The comptroller each fiscal year shall

 2-4     deposit $600,000 of the money received by the  state under the

 2-5     federal community development block grant program in an account in

 2-6     the general revenue fund to be administered by the department under

 2-7     this section.

 2-8           (b)  Money in the account may be used only to:

 2-9                 (1)  construct and rehabilitate community resource

2-10     centers in colonias;

2-11                 (2)  establish a loan program to assist residents of a

2-12     colonia who plan to start or expand small businesses in the

2-13     colonia; and

2-14                 (3)  provide loan management and business training to

2-15     residents of a colonia.

2-16           (c)  The department may contract with a community resource

2-17     center established by Texas A&M University and located in a colonia

2-18     to provide the services described by Subsection (b)(3).

2-19           (d)  In this section, "colonia" has the meaning assigned by

2-20     Section 2306.581, Government Code.

2-21           SECTION 3.  Subchapter I, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,

2-22     is amended by adding Section 201.705 to read as follows:

2-23           Sec. 201.705.  ACCOUNT FOR PROJECTS IN COLONIAS.  (a)  The

2-24     comptroller each fiscal year shall deposit five percent of the

2-25     federal money received by the state under the Intermodal Surface

2-26     Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 in an account in the general

2-27     revenue fund to be administered by the department under this

 3-1     section.

 3-2           (b)  Money in the account may be used only:

 3-3                 (1)  for eligible colonia projects; and

 3-4                 (2)  to assist residents of a colonia to apply for and

 3-5     secure federal transportation funding available under the

 3-6     Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 for

 3-7     landscaping and other beautification and historic preservation

 3-8     projects.

 3-9           (c)  The department may contract with a community resource

3-10     center established by Texas A&M University and located in a colonia

3-11     to identify eligible projects and assist colonia residents as

3-12     prescribed by Subsection (b).

3-13           (d)  In this section, "colonia" has the meaning assigned by

3-14     Section 2306.581, Government Code.

3-15           SECTION 4.  Section 24.005, Parks and Wildlife Code, is

3-16     amended by adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read as follows:

3-17           (d)  The department each fiscal year shall grant at least

3-18     $400,000 from the fund to counties in which colonias are located to

3-19     provide one-half of the costs of the development of sports parks or

3-20     recreational areas in the colonias to be owned and operated by the

3-21     counties if the counties agree to finance the remaining costs.

3-22           (e)  In this section, "colonia" has the meaning assigned by

3-23     Section 2306.581, Government Code.

3-24           SECTION 5.  (a)  As soon as possible after the effective date

3-25     of this Act, the comptroller shall transfer to the account

3-26     established under Section 201.705, Transportation Code, as added by

3-27     this Act, money allocated by the Texas Department of Transportation

 4-1     for projects financed under the Intermodal Surface Transportation

 4-2     Efficiency Act of 1991 that have been withdrawn.

 4-3           (b)  The Texas Department of Transportation shall certify to

 4-4     the comptroller the amounts to be transferred under this section.

 4-5           SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 4-6           SECTION 7.  The importance of this legislation and the

 4-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 4-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 4-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

4-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.