AN ACT
1-1 relating to making emergency appropriations.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. DEPARTMENT OF PROTECTIVE AND REGULATORY SERVICES.
1-4 In addition to amounts previously appropriated for the current
1-5 fiscal biennium, the sum of $18,681,494, consisting of federal
1-6 funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant,
1-7 is appropriated to the Department of Protective and Regulatory
1-8 Services for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of
1-9 this Act. Amounts appropriated by this section shall be used by
1-10 the department to adjust the method of financing among its various
1-11 programs to provide sufficient funding for substitute care
1-12 services.
1-13 SECTION 2. TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION: JOBS PROGRAM. In
1-14 addition to amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal
1-15 biennium, the sum of $5,106,092, consisting of federal funds from
1-16 the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant, is
1-17 appropriated to the Texas Workforce Commission for the two-year
1-18 period beginning on the effective date of this Act for the purpose
1-19 of providing services in the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills
1-20 (JOBS) program and related transportation expenses of program
1-21 participants.
1-22 SECTION 3. TEXAS YOUTH COMMISSION. In addition to amounts
1-23 previously appropriated for the current fiscal biennium, the sums
2-1 of $4,998,517 out of the general revenue fund, $5,052,187 from
2-2 amounts received from the federal government, and $116,716 from
2-3 receipts generated by interagency contracts are appropriated to the
2-4 Texas Youth Commission for the two-year period beginning on the
2-5 effective date of this Act. The appropriations made by this
2-6 section are for the payment of unanticipated costs for agency
2-7 operations and contracted services resulting from maintaining the
2-8 "Six-Month Minimum Length of Stay Rate" objective established by
2-9 Chapter 1063, Acts of the 74th Legislature, 1995 (the General
2-10 Appropriations Act), during a period of increased juvenile
2-11 commitments.
2-12 SECTION 4. EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF TEXAS AND
2-13 COMPTROLLER: EMPLOYEE BENEFIT COSTS. In addition to amounts
2-14 previously appropriated for the current fiscal biennium, the sums
2-15 of $2,444,769, consisting of federal funds from the Temporary
2-16 Assistance for Needy Families block grant, and $343,979 from state
2-17 funds in the general revenue fund are appropriated to the Employees
2-18 Retirement System of Texas, and the sums of $1,143,864, consisting
2-19 of federal funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
2-20 block grant, and $149,854 from state funds in the general revenue
2-21 fund are appropriated to the comptroller. The appropriations made
2-22 by this section are for the two-year period beginning on the
2-23 effective date of this Act for the payment of employee benefit
2-24 costs associated with the implementation of the appropriations made
2-25 by Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this Act.
3-1 SECTION 5. EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY. (a) The legislature
3-2 finds that a contract between the Texas Water Development Board and
3-3 the Edwards Aquifer Authority providing resources for the
3-4 authority's initial operating costs would be in furtherance of the
3-5 purposes of Section 16.019, Water Code.
3-6 (b) From amounts previously appropriated for the trusteed
3-7 programs within the office of the governor for the biennium ending
3-8 August 31, 1997, the sum of $500,000 is transferred and
3-9 appropriated to the Texas Water Development Board for the two-year
3-10 period beginning on the effective date of this Act for the purpose
3-11 of funding a contract between the board and the Edwards Aquifer
3-12 Authority.
3-13 (c) Amounts appropriated by Subsection (b) of this section
3-14 may be expended only for payments under a contract that provides
3-15 for the repayment to the general revenue fund by the Edwards
3-16 Aquifer Authority of the amounts with interest, computed at a rate
3-17 equal to the rate of return the amounts would have earned in the
3-18 state treasury, not later than August 31, 1999.
3-19 (d) Amounts repaid to the general revenue fund in accordance
3-20 with Subsection (c) of this section that constitute a repayment of
3-21 the principal amount of the contract are appropriated to the office
3-22 of the governor for the trusteed programs within that office, for
3-23 the period beginning on the date of repayment and ending on the
3-24 earlier of August 31, 1999, or the expiration of two years
3-25 beginning on the date of repayment. The amount of the
4-1 appropriation made by this subsection may not exceed $500,000 and
4-2 shall be credited to the appropriation item from which amounts were
4-3 transferred under Subsection (b) of this section.
4-4 SECTION 6. DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES. (a) In
4-5 addition to amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal
4-6 biennium, the sum of $992,000 is appropriated out of the general
4-7 revenue fund to the Department of Information Resources for the
4-8 two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act for the
4-9 purpose of developing and implementing a plan to make the state's
4-10 information resource systems compatible with the year 2000.
4-11 (b) In addition to amounts previously appropriated for the
4-12 current fiscal biennium, the sum of $253,000 is appropriated out of
4-13 the general revenue fund to the Department of Information Resources
4-14 for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act
4-15 for the purpose of funding the operations of the office at the
4-16 department developing and implementing the plan for which an
4-17 appropriation is made by Subsection (a) of this section.
4-18 SECTION 7. TEXAS NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMISSION.
4-19 (a) In addition to amounts previously appropriated for the current
4-20 fiscal biennium, the sum of $550,000 is appropriated out of the
4-21 general revenue fund to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
4-22 Commission for the two-year period beginning on the effective date
4-23 of this Act.
4-24 (b) Amounts appropriated by Subsection (a) of this section
4-25 may be expended only for the purpose of financing regional
5-1 precipitation enhancement programs through grants to political
5-2 subdivisions that agree to provide local funding for the same
5-3 purposes in an amount not less than the amount of state funding
5-4 provided to that political subdivision.
5-5 SECTION 8. WORKERS' COMPENSATION PAYMENTS. In addition to
5-6 amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal biennium,
5-7 the sum of $10,827,069 is appropriated out of the general revenue
5-8 fund to the office of the attorney general for the two-year period
5-9 beginning on the effective date of this Act for the payment of
5-10 workers' compensation benefits.
5-11 SECTION 9. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE FUND BOARD.
5-12 Notwithstanding Section 160, Article IX, Chapter 1063, Acts of the
5-13 74th Legislature, 1995 (the General Appropriations Act), the
5-14 Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board is authorized to pay
5-15 the salaries, out of funds previously appropriated and approved, of
5-16 not more than 18 full-time equivalent employees during the current
5-17 fiscal biennium.
5-18 SECTION 10. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (a) If
5-19 Senate Bill No. 1706 is enacted by the 75th Legislature at its
5-20 regular session and becomes law, in furtherance of Subchapter D,
5-21 Chapter 456, Transportation Code, as added by that Act, the sum of
5-22 $5,600,000 is appropriated out of the general revenue fund to the
5-23 Texas Department of Transportation for the two-year period
5-24 beginning on the later of the effective date of this Act or the
5-25 effective date of Senate Bill No. 1706 for the purpose of providing
6-1 a loan to a corporation created under former Subchapter III,
6-2 Chapter 14, Title 45, United States Code (now 49 U.S.C. Sections
6-3 24101 et seq. and 24301 et seq.).
6-4 (b) Amounts appropriated by Subsection (a) of this section
6-5 may be expended only for the purpose of funding payments under a
6-6 loan agreement that provides for the repayment of the amounts to
6-7 the general revenue fund with interest, computed at a rate equal to
6-8 the rate of return the amounts would have earned in the state
6-9 treasury, not later than August 31, 1999.
6-10 SECTION 11. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
6-11 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
6-15 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
6-16 passage, and it is so enacted.
S.B. No. 886
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 886 passed the Senate on
March 6, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 0; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on April 23, 1997, by the
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; passed subject to the provisions
of Article III, Section 49a, of the Constitution of Texas.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 886 passed the House, with
amendment, on April 22, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 146,
Nays 0, one present not voting; passed subject to the provisions of
Article III, Section 49a, of the Constitution of Texas.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
I, John Sharp, Comptroller of
Public Accounts, do hereby
_______________________________ certify that the amounts
Governor appropriated in the herein
S.B. No. 886, Regular Session,
75th Legislature, are within
the amount estimated to be
available in the affected fund.
Certified ______________, 1997.
_______________________________
Comptroller of Public Accounts