By Burnam                                             H.B. No. 2351
         76R6240 KEL-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to funding the housing trust fund.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter I, Chapter 2306, Government Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 2306.208 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 2306.208.  HOUSING TRUST FUND AUXILIARY ACCOUNT.  (a)
 1-7     The housing trust fund auxiliary account is an account in the
 1-8     general revenue fund consisting of money transferred to the account
 1-9     under Section 74.602, Property Code.
1-10           (b)  The legislature may appropriate money in the account
1-11     only for the purposes described by Section 2306.202.
1-12           (c)  The department shall use at least one-half of the amount
1-13     appropriated for a fiscal biennium under this section for programs
1-14     that assist individuals and families of very low income.
1-15           SECTION 2.  Section 74.602, Property Code, is amended to read
1-16     as follows:
1-17           Sec. 74.602.  USE OF MONEY. (a)  Except as provided by
1-18     Subsection (b) and by Section 381.004, Local Government Code, the
1-19     comptroller  shall use the unclaimed money received under this
1-20     chapter or any other statute requiring the delivery of unclaimed
1-21     property to the comptroller to pay the claims of persons or states
1-22     establishing ownership of property in the possession of the
1-23     comptroller under this chapter or under any other unclaimed
1-24     property or escheat statute.
 2-1           (b)  Each fiscal year after deducting funds sufficient to pay
 2-2     anticipated expenses and claims of the unclaimed money fund, the
 2-3     comptroller shall transfer:
 2-4                 (1)  25 percent of the balance of the money in the
 2-5     unclaimed money fund to the credit of the housing trust fund
 2-6     auxiliary account; and
 2-7                 (2)  the remainder to the credit of the general revenue
 2-8     fund.
 2-9           SECTION 3.  (a) The legislature may appropriate money in the
2-10     housing trust fund auxiliary account only for a state fiscal year
2-11     that begins on or after September 1, 2001.
2-12           (b)  Section 2306.208, Government Code, as added by this Act,
2-13     is exempt from the application of Section 403.095, Government Code,
2-14     until August 31, 2003.
2-15           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-16           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-17     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-18     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-19     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-20     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.