By Eiland                                             H.B. No. 2065
         77R2993 JJT-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the allocation of certain settlement money awarded to
 1-3     the state to appropriation accounts at the direction of the
 1-4     attorney general with the prior approval of the Legislative Budget
 1-5     Board.
 1-6           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-7           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
 1-8     amended by adding Section 403.037 to read as follows:
 1-9           Sec. 403.037.  ALLOCATION OF CERTAIN SETTLEMENT MONEY AT
1-10     DIRECTION OF ATTORNEY GENERAL.  (a)  The attorney general may
1-11     certify to the comptroller and the Legislative Budget Board that
1-12     money awarded to the state in settlement of a claim is money to be
1-13     credited to the account for a particular appropriation under
1-14     Section 403.036 if it is not clear under applicable law to which
1-15     account the money should be credited.
1-16           (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), the comptroller
1-17     shall act in accordance with the certification received under
1-18     Subsection (a):
1-19                 (1)  on the 31st day after the date the comptroller
1-20     receives it; or
1-21                 (2)  on the day following the date the comptroller
1-22     receives the written prior approval of the Legislative Budget Board
1-23     to act in accordance with the certification.
1-24           (c)  If, before the 31st day after the date the comptroller
 2-1     receives the certification under Subsection (a), the comptroller
 2-2     receives from the Legislative Budget Board a certification that the
 2-3     money is to be credited to a different account for a particular
 2-4     appropriation under Section 403.036 or that the money should not be
 2-5     credited to any account for a particular appropriation under
 2-6     Section 403.036, the comptroller shall act in accordance with the
 2-7     board's certification as soon as is practicable.
 2-8           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.