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