This website will be unavailable from Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, June 3, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. due to data center maintenance.

                                                                                



By:  Lindsay                                                    S.J.R. No. 30 


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION


proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the provision of 
parks and recreational facilities by certain conservation and 
reclamation districts.
	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                       
	SECTION 1.  Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution, is 
amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection 
(c-1) to read as follows:
	(a)  The conservation and development of all of the natural 
resources of this State, and development of parks and recreational 
facilities, including the control, storing, preservation and 
distribution of its storm and flood waters, the waters of its rivers 
and streams, for irrigation, power and all other useful purposes, 
the reclamation and irrigation of its arid, semi-arid and other 
lands needing irrigation, the reclamation and drainage of its 
overflowed lands, and other lands needing drainage, the 
conservation and development of its forests, water and 
hydro-electric power, the navigation of its inland and coastal 
waters, and the preservation and conservation of all such natural 
resources of the State are each and all hereby declared public 
rights and duties; and the Legislature shall pass all such laws as 
may be appropriate thereto.
	(c)  Except as provided by Subsection (c-1), the [The] 
Legislature shall authorize all such indebtedness as may be 
necessary to provide all improvements and the maintenance thereof 
requisite to the achievement of the purposes of this amendment.  All 
such indebtedness may be evidenced by bonds of such conservation 
and reclamation districts, to be issued under such regulations as 
may be prescribed by law.  The Legislature shall also authorize the 
levy and collection within such districts of all such taxes, 
equitably distributed, as may be necessary for the payment of the 
interest and the creation of a sinking fund for the payment of such 
bonds and for the maintenance of such districts and improvements.  
Such indebtedness shall be a lien upon the property assessed for the 
payment thereof.  The Legislature shall not authorize the issuance 
of any bonds or provide for any indebtedness against any 
reclamation district unless such proposition shall first be 
submitted to the qualified voters of such district and the 
proposition adopted.
	(c-1)  For development of parks and recreational facilities 
the Legislature may authorize indebtedness as may be necessary to 
provide for improvements and maintenance only for a conservation 
and reclamation district all or part of which is located in Travis 
County, Harris County, Galveston County, Brazoria County, Fort Bend 
County, or Montgomery County.  All the indebtedness may be 
evidenced by bonds of the conservation and reclamation district, to 
be issued under regulations as may be prescribed by law.  The 
Legislature may also authorize the levy and collection within the 
district of all taxes, equitably distributed, as may be necessary 
for the payment of the interest and the creation of a sinking fund 
for the payment of the bonds and for maintenance of and improvements 
to the parks and recreational facilities.  The indebtedness shall 
be a lien on the property assessed for the payment of the bonds.  The 
Legislature may not authorize the issuance of bonds or provide for 
indebtedness under this subsection against a reclamation district 
unless a proposition is first submitted to the qualified voters of 
the district and the proposition is adopted.
	SECTION 2.  The legislature intends by the amendment 
proposed by Section 1 of this resolution to expand the authority of 
conservation and reclamation districts with respect to parks and 
recreational facilities.  The proposed amendment should not be 
construed as a limitation on the powers of a district as those 
powers exist immediately before the amendment takes effect.
	SECTION 3.  This proposed constitutional amendment shall be 
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 4, 2003.  
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the 
proposition:  "The constitutional amendment relating to the 
provision of parks and recreational facilities by certain 
conservation and reclamation districts."