By Horn                                         H.B. No. 3320

      75R8489 CBH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the use of local funds for state parks.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 13, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended

 1-5     by adding Subchapter E to read as follows:

 1-6                     SUBCHAPTER E.  LOCAL PARTICIPATION

 1-7           Sec. 13.351.  PROGRAM.  The department by rule shall

 1-8     establish a program by which a political subdivision of this state

 1-9     may contribute money to be used to improve or maintain one or more

1-10     state parks.

1-11           Sec. 13.352.  CONTRIBUTION OF MONEY.  (a)  Except as provided

1-12     by Subsection (b), a political subdivision of this state may

1-13     contribute to the department local tax money, including:

1-14                 (1)  sales and use tax revenue received under Section

1-15     4A or 4B, Development Corporation Act of 1979 (Article 5190.6,

1-16     Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes);

1-17                 (2)  sales and use tax revenue collected by a county

1-18     development district under Subchapter D, Chapter 312, Tax Code; and

1-19                 (3)  hotel occupancy tax revenue collected under

1-20     Chapter 351 or 352, Tax Code.

1-21           (b)  A political subdivision of this state may not

1-22     contribute:

1-23                 (1)  property tax revenue; or

1-24                 (2)  sales and use tax revenue collected under Chapter

 2-1     321, 322, or 323, Tax Code.

 2-2           (c)  The political subdivision may contribute money under

 2-3     this subchapter only to improve or maintain one or more state parks

 2-4     that the political subdivision determines contribute to the

 2-5     economic, cultural, or recreational development or well-being of

 2-6     the residents of the political subdivision.

 2-7           (d)  The political subdivision shall designate each state

 2-8     park that is to benefit from the contribution.

 2-9           Sec. 13.353.  USE OF REVENUE.  (a)  The department is not

2-10     required to accept a contribution made under this subchapter.

2-11           (b)  If the department accepts a contribution under this

2-12     subchapter, the department shall:

2-13                 (1)  match the money contributed by the political

2-14     subdivision; and

2-15                 (2)  use the money to improve or maintain only the

2-16     state park or parks for which the money was contributed.

2-17           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-22     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-23     passage, and it is so enacted.