SRC-TJG S.B. 1603 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1603
By: Ellis, Rodney
Natural Resources
8/25/2003
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The Adopt-A-Map/Adopt-A-Document Program (program) was started in 2000 by
the General Land Office.  The program is a public/private partnership
which allows Texans to make tax deductible contributions toward the
preservation of historic maps and documents.  The General Land Office is
authorized to accept donations from the public to conserve these maps and
documents.  Under the State Employee's Charitable Campaign Program (SECC),
state employers are authorized to make deductions each pay period from the
employee's salary or wage payment if the employee wishes to make a
charitable donation.  Currently, there are two state agencies eligible for
SECC: the Parks and Wildlife Foundation of Texas, Inc. and the Texas State
History Museum.  S.B. 1603 adds the program to the SECC in order to allow
state employees to authorize a salary or wage deduction as a donation for
the program. 

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 Subchapter C, Chapter 31, Natural Resources Code, by
adding Section 31.0655, as follows: 
 
Sec. 31.0655.  STATE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS TO ADOPT-A-MAP/ADOPTA-DOCUMENT
PROGRAM.  Provides that, for purposes of Subchapter I, Chapter 659
(Charitable Contributions), Government Code, the General Land Office
(GLO), for the sole purpose of managing the Adopt-A-Map/Adopt-A-Document
Program (program), is considered an eligible charitable organization
entitled to participate in the state employee charitable campaign and a
state employee is entitled to authorize a deduction for contributions to
GLO for the purpose of managing the program as a charitable contribution
under Section 659.132, Government Code, and authorizes GLO to use the
contributions for the purpose of preserving historic maps and documents
under that program. 
 
SECTION 2.  Provides that the General Land Office is entitled to
participate in the state employee charitable campaign conducted during the
autumn of 2003 without regard to any limitation on the time during which
an organization must apply to participate in the campaign. 
 
SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.