By Kuempel, et al.                                    H.B. No. 3189

         75R12115 MI-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the authority of the Parks and Wildlife Department to

 1-3     issue revenue bonds.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 11.043, Parks and Wildlife Code, is

 1-6     amended to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 11.043. TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CAPITAL ACCOUNT.  (a)

 1-8     The Texas parks and wildlife capital account is a separate account

 1-9     in the general revenue fund.

1-10           (b)  The account consists of the amount of credits made to

1-11     the department under Section 151.801, Tax Code, after allocations

1-12     to the state parks account and the Texas recreation and parks

1-13     account, proceeds of revenue bonds issued under Section 13.0045, or

1-14     any other source  authorized by law.

1-15           (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), money [Money] in

1-16     the account may be spent only for acquisition and development of

1-17     parks, fisheries, and wildlife projects that have been individually

1-18     approved by the commission.  Projects that directly provide

1-19     hunting, fishing, or outdoor recreation opportunity to the public

1-20     shall be given preference for funding under this section.  Approved

1-21     projects may include:

1-22                 (1)  acquiring land or facilities for use in any

1-23     department program;

1-24                 (2)  developing and improving any land or facility

 2-1     owned or controlled by the department;

 2-2                 (3)  servicing the debt on Texas park development bonds

 2-3     issued under Article III, Section 49-e, of the Texas Constitution

 2-4     or any other bonds issued [in the future] for parks, fisheries, or

 2-5     wildlife projects; and

 2-6                 (4)  local park grants in Chapter 24 of this code.

 2-7           (d)  The proceeds of bonds issued under Section 13.0045 and

 2-8     deposited to the account may be spent to finance parks and wildlife

 2-9     projects, including the repair, renovation, improvement, and

2-10     equipping of parks and wildlife facilities.

2-11           (e)  The comptroller [treasurer] may invest money in the

2-12     account.

2-13           SECTION 2.  Section 13.004(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is

2-14     amended to read as follows:

2-15           (a)  Except as provided by Section 13.0045, the [The]

2-16     operation, maintenance, and improvement of state parks shall be

2-17     financed from the general revenue fund, the state parks account,

2-18     other accounts that may be authorized by law, and donations,

2-19     grants, and gifts received by the department for these purposes.

2-20           SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Parks and Wildlife

2-21     Code, is amended by adding Section 13.0045 to read as follows:

2-22           Sec. 13.0045.  REVENUE BONDS FOR PARKS AND WILDLIFE

2-23     FACILITIES.  (a)  The department, by resolution of the commission,

2-24     may request the Texas Public Finance Authority to issue revenue

2-25     bonds or other revenue obligations to finance the repair,

2-26     renovation, improvement, and equipping of parks and wildlife

2-27     facilities for an estimated project cost not to exceed $60 million.

 3-1           (b)  On receipt of the department's request, the authority

 3-2     shall promptly issue the bonds or other obligations under and in

 3-3     accordance with the Texas Public Finance Authority Act (Article

 3-4     601d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).

 3-5           (c)  The department shall deposit the proceeds of bonds

 3-6     issued under this section to the credit of the Texas parks and

 3-7     wildlife capital account and may use the proceeds only to finance

 3-8     the repair, renovation, improvement, and equipping of parks and

 3-9     wildlife facilities.

3-10           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

3-11           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

3-12     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

3-13     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

3-14     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

3-15     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.