By Wilson, Burnam, et al.                             H.B. No. 2061
         77R12782 BDH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to establishing a historical representation advisory
 1-3     committee.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Chapter 443, Government Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Section 443.0081 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 443.0081.  HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
 1-8     (a)  To ensure that the diverse history of Texas is accurately
 1-9     represented in the Capitol Complex and on other land owned by the
1-10     state, the historical representation advisory committee shall
1-11     provide guidance to the board, the Texas Historical Commission, and
1-12     the General Services Commission on the addition of monuments to the
1-13     Capitol Complex and other land owned by the state.
1-14           (b)  The advisory committee consists of the following 12
1-15     members:
1-16                 (1)  four members appointed by the governor;
1-17                 (2)  four members appointed by the lieutenant governor;
1-18     and
1-19                 (3)  four members appointed by the speaker of the house
1-20     of representatives.
1-21           (c)  In making appointments under this section, the governor,
1-22     the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
1-23     representatives shall attempt to include African American Texans,
1-24     Hispanic American Texans, Native American Texans, female Texans,
 2-1     and Texans exemplifying rural heritage.
 2-2           (d)  The governor shall designate the presiding officer of
 2-3     the committee from among the members of the committee.  The
 2-4     presiding officer serves a term of two years.  The presiding
 2-5     officer shall serve as the liaison between the committee and the
 2-6     General Services Commission.
 2-7           (e)  A member of the advisory committee serves at the
 2-8     pleasure of the appointing officer and serves without compensation
 2-9     or reimbursement of expenses.
2-10           (f)  The advisory committee shall conduct meetings the
2-11     committee considers necessary to provide guidance under this
2-12     section.  The board shall provide necessary administrative support
2-13     to the advisory committee.
2-14           (g)  The advisory committee shall develop its own bylaws
2-15     under which it shall operate.
2-16           (h)  Chapter 2110 does not apply to the advisory committee.
2-17           (i)  The advisory committee is subject to the open meetings
2-18     law, Chapter 551.
2-19           (j)  The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 325 (Texas
2-20     Sunset Act).  Unless continued in existence as provided by that
2-21     chapter, the advisory committee is abolished September 1, 2013.
2-22           (k)  The advisory committee shall:
2-23                 (1)  collect information relating to each monument in
2-24     the Capitol Complex and on other land owned by the state; and
2-25                 (2)  in cooperation with the chair of the history
2-26     department at Prairie View A&M University, at The University of
2-27     Texas at Austin, or at any other land grant university in the
 3-1     state, as determined by the committee, develop a plan that ensures
 3-2     the:
 3-3                       (A)  historical accuracy of any proposed
 3-4     monument;
 3-5                       (B)  equitable representation of the military
 3-6     service of all Texans; and
 3-7                       (C)  equitable representation of African slaves,
 3-8     African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, women in
 3-9     Texas history, and Texans exemplifying rural heritage in monuments
3-10     in the Capitol Complex and on other land owned by the state.
3-11           (l)  In this section, "monument" has the meaning assigned by
3-12     Section 443.015, as added by Chapter 1141, Acts of the 75th
3-13     Legislature, Regular Session, 1997.
3-14           SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2002, the governor, the
3-15     lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
3-16     representatives shall make appointments to the historical
3-17     representation advisory committee under Section 443.0081,
3-18     Government Code, as added by this Act.
3-19           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-20     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-21     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
3-22     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-23     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.