1-1     By:  Hawley, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Truan)          H.B. No. 2908
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2001;
 1-3     May 1, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
 1-4     Affairs and Military Installations; May 3, 2001, reported favorably
 1-5     by the following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 3, 2001, sent to
 1-6     printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to transferring the Texas Strategic Military Planning
1-10     Commission to the office of the governor.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1. Section 481.0066, Government Code, is transferred
1-13     to Subtitle C, Title 4, Government Code, redesignated as Chapter
1-14     436, Government Code, and amended to read as follows:
1-15         CHAPTER 436.  TEXAS STRATEGIC MILITARY PLANNING COMMISSION
1-16           Sec. 436.001 [481.0066].  DEFINITION [TEXAS STRATEGIC
1-17     MILITARY PLANNING COMMISSION]. [(a)]  In this chapter, "commission"
1-18     means the Texas Strategic Military Planning Commission.
1-19           Sec. 436.002.  COMMISSION. The commission is within the
1-20     office of the governor.
1-21           Sec. 436.003.  COMPOSITION. [(b)]  The commission is composed
1-22     of:
1-23                 (1)  nine public members, appointed by the governor;
1-24     and
1-25                 (2)  the following ex officio members:
1-26                       (A)  the chair of the committee of the Texas
1-27     House of Representatives that has primary jurisdiction of matters
1-28     concerning state, federal, and international relations; and
1-29                       (B)  the chair of the committee of the Texas
1-30     Senate that has primary jurisdiction of matters concerning veteran
1-31     affairs and military installations.
1-32           Sec. 436.004.  TERMS AND OFFICERS. (a) [(c)]  The nine public
1-33     members of the commission serve staggered terms of three years with
1-34     the terms of one-third of the members expiring February 1 of each
1-35     year.  A legislative member vacates the person's position on the
1-36     commission if the person ceases to be the chair of the applicable
1-37     legislative committee.
1-38           (b) [(d)]  The governor shall designate the presiding officer
1-39     of the commission from among the members of the commission.
1-40           Sec. 436.005.  COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES. [(e)]  A public
1-41     member of the commission is not entitled to compensation but is
1-42     entitled to reimbursement, from commission funds, for the travel
1-43     expenses incurred by the member while conducting the business of
1-44     the commission, as provided by the General Appropriations Act.  The
1-45     entitlement of a legislative member to compensation or
1-46     reimbursement for travel expenses is governed by the law applying
1-47     to the member's service in that underlying position, and any
1-48     payments to the member shall be made from the appropriate funds of
1-49     the applicable house of the legislature.
1-50           Sec. 436.006.  MEETINGS; OPEN GOVERNMENT. (a) [(f)]  The
1-51     commission shall meet at least quarterly.
1-52           (b)  The commission is a governmental body for purposes of
1-53     the open meetings law, Chapter 551.
1-54           Sec. 436.007.  APPLICABILITY OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE LAW.
1-55     [(g)]  Chapter 2110 does not apply to the commission.
1-56           Sec. 436.008.  POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. [(h)]  The
1-57     commission shall:
1-58                 (1)  serve as an advisory committee to the office of
1-59     the governor and the Office of Defense Affairs in the Texas
1-60     Department of Economic Development [department] on the effect of
1-61     the military on the economy of this state; and
1-62                 (2)  make recommendations regarding:
1-63                       (A)  the development of policies and plans to
1-64     support the long-term viability and prosperity of the military,
 2-1     active and civilian, in this state;
 2-2                       (B)  the development of methods to improve
 2-3     private and public employment opportunities for former members of
 2-4     the military residing in this state;
 2-5                       (C)  the development of methods to assist
 2-6     defense-dependent communities in the design and execution of
 2-7     programs that enhance a community's relationship with military
 2-8     installations and defense-related businesses; and
 2-9                       (D)  the compilation of information for use in
2-10     the report required under Section 481.0065(c).
2-11           Sec. 436.009.  ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. The Texas Department
2-12     of Economic Development shall provide administrative support to the
2-13     commission.
2-14           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
2-15                                  * * * * *