By Hunter                                             H.B. No. 1977
         77R3825 MCK-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to creating the Tourism Coordinating Council.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Subtitle E, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
 1-5     by adding Chapter 468 to read as follows:
 1-6                 CHAPTER 468.  TOURISM COORDINATING COUNCIL
 1-7           Sec. 468.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
 1-8                 (1)  "Council" means the Tourism Coordinating Council.
 1-9                 (2)  "Member agency" means each state officer who is a
1-10     member of the council or an agency that has a representative who is
1-11     a member of the council.
1-12           Sec. 468.002.  TOURISM COORDINATING COUNCIL. (a)  The Tourism
1-13     Coordinating Council is composed of:
1-14                 (1)  the following officers or the officer's designee:
1-15                       (A)  the executive director of the Texas
1-16     Department of Economic Development;
1-17                       (B)  the executive director of the Texas
1-18     Historical Commission;
1-19                       (C)  the executive administrator of the Texas
1-20     Water Development Board;
1-21                       (D)  the director of the Texas Department of
1-22     Transportation;
1-23                       (E)  the executive director of the Parks and
1-24     Wildlife Department; and
 2-1                       (F)  the executive director of the Texas
 2-2     Commission on the Arts; and
 2-3                 (2)  two representatives of the tourism industry
 2-4     appointed by the governor.
 2-5           (b)  Service on the council is an additional duty of a
 2-6     member's office or employment.  A member of the council is not
 2-7     entitled to compensation, but is entitled to reimbursement of
 2-8     travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting the
 2-9     business of the council, as provided in the General Appropriations
2-10     Act.
2-11           Sec. 468.003.  PRESIDING OFFICER. The council shall select
2-12     one member to serve as presiding officer from among the members of
2-13     the council.  The presiding officer serves a two-year term and may
2-14     be selected for additional terms.
2-15           Sec. 468.004.  SUPPORT STAFF. The council's member agencies
2-16     shall provide the staff for the council.
2-17           Sec. 468.005.  DUTIES. (a)  The council shall review the
2-18     activities of each member agency that affect the state's tourism to
2-19     ensure cooperation among agencies with a tourism function.
2-20           (b)  The council shall report on the status of the tourism
2-21     industry and propose any recommended legislation to the governor
2-22     and the legislature not later than September 1 of each
2-23     even-numbered year.
2-24           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.