SRC-BWC S.B. 1043 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1043
77R3826 MCK-DBy: Duncan
Administration
3/8/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The first Texas State Poet Laureate was selected in February 1932, but
since that time there have only been 37 poets laureate.  Recognizing
artists by bestowing on them titles of honor is a long-standing practice
and serves as an encouragement to other talented artists.  Traditionally, a
committee of the Texas Legislature has elected the Texas State Artist,
appropriately honoring those Texans who have exhibited exceptional ability
in portraying the beauty of this state, some facet of its history, or the
proud spirit of its people.  As proposed, S.B. 1043 creates a special
committee to designate Texas State Artists in two categories of art to
serve concurrently a term of one year.  One of the state artists selected
each year will be chosen on the basis of achievements in two-dimensional
media and the other on the basis of achievements in three-dimensional
media. 

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 Title 106, Revised Statutes, by adding Article 6139k, as
follows: 

 Art. 6139k.  POET LAUREATE AND STATE ARTIST

Sec. 1.  DESIGNATING A POET LAUREATE AND STATE ARTIST.  Requires the Texas
poet laureate and state artist committee (committee) to designate a poet
laureate of Texas and a Texas state artist.  Requires the committee to
choose the poet laureate and the state artist from a list of individuals
submitted by the Texas Commission on the Arts (commission).  Provides that
the individuals designated as the poet laureate and the state artist may
not receive any pay or emolument but are allowed to keep the designation
for one year from the date of the designation ceremony.   

Sec. 2.  TEXAS POET LAUREATE AND STATE ARTIST COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED.
Provides that the Texas poet laureate and state artist committee consists
of seven specific members.  Requires one member appointed by the lieutenant
governor to be the chair of the senate committee that has primary
jurisdiction of arts and cultural matters who serves on the committee as an
additional duty of the chairmanship.  Requires one member appointed by the
speaker of the house of representatives to be the chair of the house
committee that has primary jurisdiction of arts and cultural matters who
serves on the committee as an additional duty of the chairmanship.
Provides that members of the committee who are not members of the
legislature serve for a two-year term that expires October 1 of each
oddnumbered year.  Requires the members of the committee to select a
presiding officer from the members of the committee. 

Sec. 3.  RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS. Requires the
commission to solicit nominations from the arts and cultural community for
both the  poet laureate and the state artist.  Authorizes the commission to
use the commission's Texas Cultural & Arts Network, the media, public
meetings, newsletters, and the Writer's League of Texas to distribute
information about the nomination process.  Authorizes the commission to
assemble a group of artists, writers, scholars, and other appropriate
experts in the field of visual arts and literature to:  review the
submissions from the nominated poets and artists and provide advice and
recommendations to the commission on who should be considered for
designation as poet laureate and as state artist.  Requires the commission
to submit to the committee a list of not more than 10 individuals who are
worthy of being designated as the poet laureate and a list of not more than
10 individuals who are worthy of being designated as the state artist. 

Sec. 4.  DESIGNATION CEREMONY.  Requires the governor and members of the
committee to honor the individuals designated as poet laureate and as state
artist in a ceremony at the State Capitol. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.
 
          (b)  Requires, as soon as possible after the effective date of
this Act, the governor,               the lieutenant governor, and the
speaker of the house of representatives to appoint              the initial
members of the Texas poet laureate and state artist committee.