By Goolsby                                            H.B. No. 3517

         75R9443 T                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to approval of monuments on the grounds of the state

 1-3     capitol.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 443, Government Code, is amended by

 1-6     adding Section 443.015 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 443.015.  CAPITOL GROUNDS MONUMENTS.  (a)  The board may

 1-8     not approve the installation of a permanent monument on the grounds

 1-9     under the jurisdiction of the board, and erection or construction

1-10     of an approved monument may not begin, unless the board or the

1-11     board's designee finds that the installation of the monument will

1-12     be complete not later than the fourth anniversary of the date on

1-13     which approval is granted.  Installation by that anniversary date

1-14     is a condition of the board's approval, and if installation is not

1-15     complete by that date the board's approval of the monument is

1-16     considered withdrawn and the monument may not be installed.

1-17           (b)  In this section, "monument" means a marker, memorial,

1-18     statue, or other commemoration of a person, organization, or event,

1-19     including one authorized or requested pursuant to legislative

1-20     resolution.

1-21           SECTION 2.  This Act applies to monuments approved by the

1-22     State Preservation Board before the effective date of this Act.

1-23           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

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

 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-4     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-5     passage, and it is so enacted.