By Ratliff S.B. No. 1898
75R8174 GCH-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to making emergency appropriations.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. WORKFORCE COMMISSION: JOBS PROGRAM. In addition
1-5 to amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal biennium,
1-6 the sum of $5,106,092, consisting of federal funds from the
1-7 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant, is
1-8 appropriated to the Texas Workforce Commission for the two-year
1-9 period beginning on the effective date of this Act for the purpose
1-10 of providing services in the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills
1-11 (JOBS) program and related transportation expenses of program
1-12 participants.
1-13 SECTION 2. ERS AND COMPTROLLER: EMPLOYEE BENEFIT COSTS. In
1-14 addition to amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal
1-15 biennium, the sum of $450,282, consisting of federal funds from the
1-16 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant, is
1-17 appropriated to the Employees Retirement System of Texas, and the
1-18 sum of $264,451, consisting of federal funds from the Temporary
1-19 Assistance for Needy Families block grant, is appropriated to the
1-20 comptroller. The appropriations made by this section are for the
1-21 two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act for the
1-22 payment of employee benefit costs associated with the
1-23 implementation of the appropriation made by Section 1 of this Act.
1-24 SECTION 3. DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. In addition to
2-1 amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal biennium,
2-2 the sum of $4,639,560, consisting of federal funds from the
2-3 Temporary Assistance to Needy Families block grant, is appropriated
2-4 to the Texas Department of Human Services for the two-year period
2-5 beginning on the effective date of this Act for the purpose of
2-6 making modifications to automation systems necessary to administer
2-7 the federal grants.
2-8 SECTION 4. PROTECTIVE AND REGULATORY SERVICES. In addition
2-9 to amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal biennium,
2-10 the sum of $21,858,054, consisting of federal funds from the
2-11 Temporary Assistance to Needy Families block grant, is appropriated
2-12 to the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services for the
2-13 two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act. Funds
2-14 appropriated by this section shall be used by the department to
2-15 adjust the method of financing among its various programs to
2-16 provide sufficient funding for substitute care services.
2-17 SECTION 5. ERS AND COMPTROLLER: EMPLOYEE BENEFIT COSTS. In
2-18 addition to amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal
2-19 biennium, the sum of $2,333,573, consisting of federal funds from
2-20 the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant, is
2-21 appropriated to the Employees Retirement System of Texas, and the
2-22 sum of $1,028,924, consisting of federal funds from the Temporary
2-23 Assistance to Needy Families block grant, is appropriated to the
2-24 comptroller. The appropriations made by this section are for the
2-25 two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act for the
2-26 payment of employee benefit costs associated with the
2-27 implementation of the appropriation made by Section 4 of this Act.
3-1 SECTION 6. YOUTH COMMISSION. In addition to amounts
3-2 previously appropriated for the current fiscal biennium, the sums
3-3 of $1,463,417 out of the general revenue fund, $9,309,359 from
3-4 funds received from the federal government, and $100,000 from
3-5 receipts generated by interagency contracts are appropriated to the
3-6 Texas Youth Commission for the two-year period beginning on the
3-7 effective date of this Act. The appropriations made by this
3-8 section are for the payment of unanticipated costs for agency
3-9 operations and contracted services resulting from maintaining the
3-10 "Six-Month Minimum Length of Stay Rate" objective established by
3-11 Chapter 1063, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995
3-12 (the General Appropriations Act), during a period of increased
3-13 juvenile commitments.
3-14 SECTION 7. WORKERS' COMPENSATION PAYMENTS. (a) In addition
3-15 to amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal biennium,
3-16 the sum of $10,827,069 is appropriated out of the general revenue
3-17 fund to the office of the attorney general for the two-year period
3-18 beginning on the effective date of this Act for the payment of
3-19 workers' compensation benefits.
3-20 (b) In addition to the appropriation contained in Subsection
3-21 (a) of this section, the sum of $1,500,000 is appropriated out of
3-22 the general revenue fund to the office of the attorney general for
3-23 the period beginning on the effective date of this Act and ending
3-24 December 31, 1997, for the purpose of resolving a cash-flow
3-25 shortfall incurred in administering Section 75, Article IX, Chapter
3-26 1063, Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995 (the
3-27 General Appropriations Act).
4-1 (c) The office of the attorney general shall reimburse the
4-2 general revenue fund, no later than December 31, 1997, for the full
4-3 amount of the appropriation contained in Subsection (b) of this
4-4 section. The comptroller shall credit the reimbursements required
4-5 by this subsection to the unappropriated balances of the general
4-6 revenue fund.
4-7 SECTION 8. EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY. (a) The legislature
4-8 finds that a contract between the Texas Water Development Board and
4-9 the Edwards Aquifer Authority providing resources for the
4-10 authority's initial operating costs would be in furtherance of the
4-11 purposes of Section 16.019, Water Code.
4-12 (b) In addition to amounts previously appropriated for the
4-13 current fiscal biennium, the sum of $1,800,000 is appropriated out
4-14 of the general revenue fund to the Texas Water Development Board
4-15 for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act
4-16 for the purpose of funding a contract between the board and the
4-17 Edwards Aquifer Authority.
4-18 (c) Funds appropriated by Subsection (b) of this section may
4-19 be expended only for payments under a contract that provides for
4-20 the repayment to the general revenue fund by the Edwards Aquifer
4-21 Authority of the funds with interest, computed at a rate equal to
4-22 the rate of return the funds would have earned in the state
4-23 treasury, not later than August 31, 1999.
4-24 SECTION 9. DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES. In addition
4-25 to amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal biennium,
4-26 the sum of $992,000 is appropriated out of the general revenue fund
4-27 to the Department of Information Resources for the two-year period
5-1 beginning on the effective date of this Act for the purpose of
5-2 developing and implementing a plan to make the state's information
5-3 resource systems compatible with the year 2000.
5-4 SECTION 10. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. (a) If _________
5-5 is enacted by the 75th Legislature at its regular session and
5-6 becomes law and in furtherance of Subchapter D, Chapter 456,
5-7 Transportation Code, the sum of $5,600,000 is appropriated out of
5-8 the general revenue fund to the Texas Department of Transportation
5-9 for the two-year period beginning on the later of the effective
5-10 date of this Act or the effective date of that Act for the purpose
5-11 of providing a loan to a corporation created under Subchapter III,
5-12 Chapter 14, Title 45, United States Code.
5-13 (b) Funds appropriated by Subsection (a) of this section may
5-14 be expended only for the purpose of funding payments under a loan
5-15 agreement that provides for the repayment of the funds to the
5-16 general revenue fund with interest, computed at a rate equal to the
5-17 rate of return the funds would have earned in the state treasury,
5-18 not later than August 31, 1999.
5-19 SECTION 11. NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMISSION. (a)
5-20 In addition to amounts previously appropriated for the current
5-21 fiscal biennium, the sum of $1,000,168 is appropriated out of the
5-22 general revenue fund to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
5-23 Commission for the two-year period beginning on the effective date
5-24 of this Act.
5-25 (b) Funds appropriated by Subsection (a) of this section may
5-26 be expended only for the purpose of financing regional
5-27 precipitation enhancement programs through grants to political
6-1 subdivisions that agree to provide local funding for the same
6-2 purposes in an amount not less than the amount of state funding
6-3 provided to that political subdivision.
6-4 SECTION 12. NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMISSION:
6-5 CONTRACT PAYMENT. In addition to amounts previously appropriated
6-6 for the current fiscal biennium, an amount not to exceed
6-7 $___________, plus 12 percent interest per year from November 30,
6-8 1996, until paid, is appropriated out of the general revenue fund
6-9 to the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission for the
6-10 two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act for the
6-11 purpose of making a payment to MARTA Technologies, Inc., in full
6-12 and complete satisfaction of a contract relating to the motor
6-13 vehicle inspection and maintenance program dated September 10,
6-14 1993.
6-15 SECTION 13. HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD. In
6-16 addition to amounts previously appropriated for the current fiscal
6-17 biennium, the sum of $450,000 is appropriated out of the general
6-18 revenue fund to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for
6-19 the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act for
6-20 the purpose of providing additional funding for the Texas
6-21 Pre-freshman Engineering Program.
6-22 SECTION 14. TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE FUND BOARD.
6-23 Notwithstanding Section 160, Article IX, Chapter 1063, Acts of the
6-24 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995 (the General Appropriations
6-25 Act), the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board is
6-26 authorized to pay the salaries, out of funds previously
6-27 appropriated and approved, of not more than 18 full-time equivalent
7-1 employees during the current fiscal biennium.
7-2 SECTION 15. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
7-3 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
7-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
7-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
7-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
7-7 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
7-8 passage, and it is so enacted.