SRC-BWC S.B. 803 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 803
77R5508 JAT-DBy: Haywood
State Affairs
3/5/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas World War II Historical Monument Fund, a nonprofit 501
(c)(3) corporation, has been collecting funds to construct and maintain a
monument to honor the 103rd division of the United States Army and its
support units.  The monument would be constructed at the Texas Department
of Transportation Welcome Center on IH-35 just north of Gainesville, Texas,
in Cooke County.  This area was previously known as Camp Howze and is the
location where the 103rd division trained before being deported for Europe
during the 1940s.  As proposed, S.B. 803 requires the Texas Department of
Transportation (department) to permit the construction of a Camp Howze
Historical Monument and authorizes the department to accept the monument as
a gift from the private organization. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 250, Transportation Code, by adding Section
250.002, as follows: 

Sec. 250.002.  CAMP HOWZE HISTORICAL MONUMENT.  Requires the Department of
Transportation (department) to permit a private organization formed for the
purpose to erect, at the Texas travel information center adjacent to
Interstate 35 near Gainesville, a monument commemorating Camp Howze and the
soldiers of the 84th, 86th, and 103rd divisions of the United States Army
who served during World War II.  Authorizes the department, on behalf of
the state, to accept the monument as a gift and spend funds to maintain the
monument. Authorizes the department to accept a grant or donation to assist
in financing the maintenance of the monument. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2001.