75R13542 MLS-D                           

         By Delisi, Hawley, Seaman, Hunter, Chavez,            H.B. No. 2453

            et al. 

         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2453:

         By Counts                                         C.S.H.B. No. 2453

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the creation of the Advisory Commission on Military

 1-3     Forces in Texas.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subtitle C, Title 4, Government Code, is amended

 1-6     by adding Chapter 436 to read as follows:

 1-7        CHAPTER 436.  ADVISORY COMMISSION ON MILITARY FORCES IN TEXAS

 1-8            SUBCHAPTER A.  GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

 1-9           Sec. 436.001.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter, "commission"

1-10     means the Advisory Commission on Military Forces in Texas.

1-11           Sec. 436.002.  COMPOSITION.  The commission is composed of:

1-12                 (1)  nine public members, appointed by the governor;

1-13     and

1-14                 (2)  the following ex officio members:

1-15                       (A)  the chair of the committee of the Texas

1-16     House of Representatives that has primary jurisdiction of matters

1-17     concerning state, federal, and international relations; and

1-18                       (B)  the chair of the committee of the Texas

1-19     Senate that has primary jurisdiction of matters concerning veteran

1-20     affairs and military installations.

1-21           Sec. 436.003.  TERMS.  (a)  The nine public members of the

1-22     commission serve staggered terms of three years with the terms of

1-23     one-third of the members expiring February 1 of each year.

1-24           (b)  A legislative member vacates the person's position on

 2-1     the commission if the person ceases to be the chair of the

 2-2     applicable legislative committee.

 2-3           Sec. 436.004.  PRESIDING OFFICER.  The governor shall

 2-4     designate the presiding officer of the commission from among the

 2-5     members of the commission.

 2-6           Sec. 436.005.  COMPENSATION.  (a)  A public member of the

 2-7     commission is not entitled to compensation but is entitled to

 2-8     reimbursement, from commission funds, for the travel expenses

 2-9     incurred by the member while conducting the business of the

2-10     commission, as provided by the General Appropriations Act.

2-11           (b)  The entitlement of a legislative member to compensation

2-12     or reimbursement for travel expenses is governed by the law

2-13     applying to the member's service in that underlying position, and

2-14     any payments to the member shall be made from the appropriate funds

2-15     of the applicable house of the legislature.

2-16           Sec. 436.006.  MEETINGS.  The commission shall meet at least

2-17     quarterly.

2-18           Sec. 436.007.  APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW.  Article 6252-33,

2-19     Revised Statutes, does not apply to the commission.

2-20              (Sections 436.008-436.030 reserved for expansion

2-21                      SUBCHAPTER B.  POWERS AND DUTIES

2-22           Sec. 436.031.  POWERS AND DUTIES.  The commission shall serve

2-23     as an advisory committee to the Texas Department of Commerce on the

2-24     effect of the military on the economy of this state and make

2-25     recommendations regarding:

2-26                 (1)  the development of a contingency plan to support

2-27     and promote the military in connection with the possible reduction,

 3-1     closure, or conversion of federal military bases in this state;

 3-2                 (2)  the development of policies and plans to support

 3-3     the long-term viability and prosperity of the military, active and

 3-4     civilian, in this state;

 3-5                 (3)  the development of methods to improve private and

 3-6     public employment opportunities for former members of the military

 3-7     residing in this state; and

 3-8                 (4)  the compilation of information for use in a

 3-9     quarterly economic impact statement prepared by the Texas

3-10     Department of Commerce detailing the effect of the military on the

3-11     economy of this state.

3-12           SECTION 2.  As soon as possible after the effective date of

3-13     this Act, the governor shall appoint the initial public members of

3-14     the Advisory Commission on Military Forces in Texas.  In making the

3-15     initial appointments, the governor shall designate three members

3-16     for terms expiring February 1, 1998, three members for terms

3-17     expiring February 1, 1999, and three members for terms expiring

3-18     February 1, 2000.

3-19           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

3-20           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

3-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

3-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

3-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

3-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.