SRC-JJJ C.S.S.B. 1613 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1613
76R12709 JRD-FBy: Lucio
Border Affairs - Special
4/16/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, the County Arts Expansion Program of the Texas Commission on the
Arts expands opportunities for arts programs to all parts of the state and
ensures that arts programs are being supported in every Texas county.  The
program requires a one-to-one match and up to 50 percent of the match for
project assistance may be in-kind donations, which creates difficulty in
smaller border counties in matching the project funds.  C.S.S.B. 1613 would
require the Texas Commission on the Arts to use private gifts and donations
to promote the development of the arts in certain municipalities located
near an international border. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1613 requires the Texas Commission on the Arts to use
private gifts and donations to promote the development of the arts in
certain municipalities located near an international border. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 444B, Government Code, by adding Section
444.031, as follows: 

Sec. 444.031.  BORDER ARTS INITIATIVE.  Requires the Texas Commission on
the Arts (commission) to develop a program under which the commission will
provide financial assistance and on-site technical assistance to promote
the development of the arts in certain counties that are located on or near
the international border.  Requires the commission to model the program
after its county arts expansion program, except that the commission is
prohibited from requiring a county to provide matching funds to participate
in the program. Requires the commission to reserve $3,000 for each county,
out of appropriated money, to implement the program in five specific state
fiscal years.  Provides that this section expires September 1, 2004.  

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.  

Amends Section 444.031, Government Code, to set forth a model for the
border arts initiative and the source of funding for the program.  Provides
that this section expires September 1, 2004.  

SECTION 2.  

 Effective date: September 1, 1999.
 
SECTION 3.  

 Redesignated from proposed SECTION 2.