H.B. No. 63 




AN ACT

relating to appropriations to pay for damages and disruptions 
suffered by Lamar University and its related institutions caused by 
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  DEFINITION.  In this Act, "Lamar University or 
its related institutions" includes Lamar University and its 
educational centers, Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar State 
College--Port Arthur, and Lamar State College--Orange.
	SECTION 2.  APPROPRIATION.  (a)  In addition to other 
appropriated amounts that may be used for this purpose, the amount 
of $34 million is appropriated out of the general revenue fund to 
the Texas State University System for the two-year period beginning 
on the effective date of this Act for the purpose of paying for or 
reimbursing payments for costs associated with damages or 
disruptions caused by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita and 
suffered by Lamar University or its related institutions.
	(b)  The Texas State University System shall distribute the 
money appropriated by Subsection (a) of this section to Lamar 
University and its related institutions, allocating the money among 
Lamar University and its related institutions as the system 
considers appropriate to address the hurricane-related needs of 
those institutions.
	(c)  For purposes of Subsection (j)(1), Section 17, Article 
VII, Texas Constitution, the legislature finds that damages to 
property caused by the hurricanes were caused by a natural 
disaster.
	SECTION 3.  PREVENTION OF DOUBLE RECOVERY OR DOUBLE 
REIMBURSEMENT.  (a)  The purpose of this section is to prevent 
double recovery or double reimbursement for the same 
hurricane-related cost or expenditure.
	(b)  If the Texas State University System, Lamar University 
or one of its related institutions, or another state agency, 
institution, or office receives reimbursement from the federal 
government for expenditures made for a purpose described by Section 
2 of this Act, the amounts received may not be spent without the 
prior approval of the governor and the Legislative Budget Board.  A 
federal reimbursement described by this subsection shall be 
deposited in the state treasury and is considered to be undedicated 
general revenue.
	(c)  It is the intent of the legislature that the governor 
and the Legislative Budget Board consider the money described by 
Subsection (b) of this section to be available for budget execution 
transfers to the extent that the governor and the Legislative 
Budget Board determine that the federal reimbursement covers the 
same costs or expenditures as those covered by the appropriation 
made by Section 2 of this Act.
	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the 
legislative session.




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 63 was passed by the House on May 11, 
2006, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 0, 1 present, not 
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. 
No. 63 on May 15, 2006, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1 
present, not voting; passed subject to the provisions of Article 
III, Section 49a, of the Constitution of the State of Texas.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   


	
I certify that H.B. No. 63 was passed by the Senate, with 
amendments, on May 12, 2006, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 
0; passed subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 49a, of 
the Constitution of the State of Texas.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                      Secretary of the Senate   

	
I certify that the amounts appropriated in the herein H.B. 
No. 63, 3rd Called Session of the 79th Legislature, are within 
amounts estimated to be available in the affected fund.

                                                  Certified_____________________

                                                  ______________________________
                                                 Comptroller of Public Accounts 



APPROVED: __________________                                                
 
                Date                                                         




 
         __________________                                              
 
              Governor