HBA-DMD H.B. 1223 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1223 By: Seaman State, Federal, & International Relations 7/30/1999 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recently, important artifacts have been discovered which are significant to Texas history, including the discoveries of French explorer Robert LaSalle's shipwreck, the Belle, in Matagorda Bay and Fort St. Louis in Victoria County. The Texas Historical Commission (commission) has been working with local communities to assist them in displaying artifacts in cities and counties in or near where such discoveries have been made. However, many communities do not have the resources to provide adequate facilities for the display of these artifacts. H.B. 1223 requires the commission to administer a program to assist municipalities, counties, museums, and county historical commissions with developing and improving museum facilities that display historical artifacts significant in Texas or American history, that were discovered in Texas. This bill also creates the Texas Historical Artifacts Program fund (fund) with money appropriated to the fund and from other sources. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Historical Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 442.0145, Government Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 442, Government Code, by adding Section 442.0145, as follows: Sec. 442.0145. TEXAS HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS PROGRAM; FUND. (a) Requires the Texas Historical Commission (commission) to administer a program to assist municipalities, counties, museums, and county historical commissions with developing and improving museum facilities that display historical artifacts significant in Texas or American history, that were discovered in Texas. (b) Creates as a separate account in the general revenue fund, the Texas Historical Artifacts Program fund (fund), which is composed of money appropriated to the fund, money deposited into the fund under Subsection (c), and the interest that is received from investments of money in the fund that the comptroller is required to allocate to the fund. Sets forth that Sections 403.095 (Use of Dedicated Revenue) and 404.071 (Disposition of Interest on Investments) do not apply to the fund or to interest received from investments of money in the fund. Authorizes money in the fund to be spent only as provided by the commission under this section. (c) Authorizes the commission to accept grants or other donations from any source, which are to be deposited in the fund. (d) Requires the commission to establish rules governing the use, administration, and distribution of the fund that must ensure that money in the fund is used only for the purposes prescribed by Subsection (a), which includes paying the expenses of administering the program. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.