1-1     By:  Kuempel, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister)    H.B. No. 3189

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 1997;

 1-3     May 7, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;

 1-4     May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 11,

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

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the authority of the Parks and Wildlife Department to

 1-9     issue revenue bonds.

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

1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 11.043, Parks and Wildlife Code, is

1-12     amended to read as follows:

1-13           Sec. 11.043. TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE CAPITAL ACCOUNT.  (a)

1-14     The Texas parks and wildlife capital account is a separate account

1-15     in the general revenue fund.

1-16           (b)  The account consists of the amount of credits made to

1-17     the department under Section 151.801, Tax Code, after allocations

1-18     to the state parks account and the Texas recreation and parks

1-19     account, proceeds of revenue bonds issued under Section 13.0045, or

1-20     any other source  authorized by law.

1-21           (c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), money [Money] in

1-22     the account may be spent only for acquisition and development of

1-23     parks, fisheries, and wildlife projects that have been individually

1-24     approved by the commission.  Projects that directly provide

1-25     hunting, fishing, or outdoor recreation opportunity to the public

1-26     shall be given preference for funding under this section.  Approved

1-27     projects may include:

1-28                 (1)  acquiring land or facilities for use in any

1-29     department program;

1-30                 (2)  developing and improving any land or facility

1-31     owned or controlled by the department;

1-32                 (3)  servicing the debt on Texas park development bonds

1-33     issued under Article III, Section 49-e, of the Texas Constitution

1-34     or any other bonds issued [in the future] for parks, fisheries, or

1-35     wildlife projects; and

1-36                 (4)  local park grants in Chapter 24 of this code.

1-37           (d)  The proceeds of bonds issued under Section 13.0045 and

1-38     deposited to the account may be spent to finance parks and wildlife

1-39     projects, including the repair, renovation, improvement, and

1-40     equipping of parks and wildlife facilities.

1-41           (e)  The comptroller [treasurer] may invest money in the

1-42     account.

1-43           SECTION 2.  Section 13.004(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is

1-44     amended to read as follows:

1-45           (a)  Except as provided by Section 13.0045, the [The]

1-46     operation, maintenance, and improvement of state parks shall be

1-47     financed from the general revenue fund, the state parks account,

1-48     other accounts that may be authorized by law, and donations,

1-49     grants, and gifts received by the department for these purposes.

1-50           SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Parks and Wildlife

1-51     Code, is amended by adding Section 13.0045 to read as follows:

1-52           Sec. 13.0045.  REVENUE BONDS FOR PARKS AND WILDLIFE

1-53     FACILITIES.  (a)  The department, by resolution of the commission,

1-54     may request the Texas Public Finance Authority to issue revenue

1-55     bonds or other revenue obligations to finance the repair,

1-56     renovation, improvement, and equipping of parks and wildlife

1-57     facilities for an estimated project cost not to exceed $60 million.

1-58           (b)  On receipt of the department's request, the authority

1-59     shall promptly issue the bonds or other obligations under and in

1-60     accordance with the Texas Public Finance Authority Act (Article

1-61     601d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).

1-62           (c)  The department shall deposit the proceeds of bonds

1-63     issued under this section to the credit of the Texas parks and

1-64     wildlife capital account and may use the proceeds only to finance

 2-1     the repair, renovation, improvement, and equipping of parks and

 2-2     wildlife facilities.

 2-3           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-4           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-5     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.

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