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


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1043
77R9940 MCK-DBy: Duncan
Administration
3/15/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


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 longstanding 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.  C.S.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 twodimensional media
and the other on the basis of achievements in three-dimensional media.
This bill also requires the committee to designate a poet laureate of Texas
and a Texas state musician. 

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.  New heading:  POET LAUREATE, STATE MUSICIAN, AND STATE ARTISTS

Sec. 1.  New heading:  DESIGNATING A POET LAUREATE, A STATE MUSICIAN, AND
STATE ARTISTS.  Requires the Texas poet laureate, state musician, and state
artist committee (committee) to designate a poet laureate of Texas, a Texas
state musician, a Texas state artist for two-dimensional media, and a Texas
state artist for three-dimensional media. Requires the committee to choose
the poet laureate, state musician, and the state artists from a list of
individuals submitted by the Texas Commission on the Arts (commission).
Provides that the individuals designated as the poet laureate, the state
musician, and the state artists 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.  New heading:  TEXAS POET LAUREATE, STATE MUSICIAN, AND STATE
ARTIST COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED.  Provides that the Texas poet laureate, state
musician, and state artist committee (committee) consists of seven specific
members appointed by the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
house of representatives.  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 odd-numbered 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, state musician, and the state artists.  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 receive submissions from poets, musicians, and artists who
have been nominated.  Authorizes the commission to assemble a group of
artists, writers, scholars, and other appropriate experts in the field of
visual arts, music, and literature to:  review the submissions from the
nominated poets, musicians, and artists and provide advice and
recommendations to the commission on who should be considered for
designation as poet laureate, as state musician, and as a state artist.
Requires the commission to submit to the committee a list of not more than
10 individuals for each of the four categories. 

Sec. 4.  DESIGNATION CEREMONY.  Requires the governor and members of the
committee to honor the individuals designated as poet laureate, as state
musician, and as a 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, state musician, and state artist
committee. 

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from As Filed version to include "state musician" in the list of
designees.  Adds text specifying that the nomination for "state artist"
includes a nominee for two-dimensional media and a nominee for
three-dimensional media.  Deletes text from As Filed version in order to
give more discretion to the lieutenant governor in appointing senators to
the committee.