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2005S0002-1  11/04/04


By:  Harris                                                       S.B. No. 21 


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation, purpose, implementation, and funding of 
the County Park Beautification and Improvement Program.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 10, Local Government Code, is 
amended by adding Chapter 328 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 328.  COUNTY PARK BEAUTIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
	Sec. 328.001.  PURPOSE; CREATION.  It is the intent of the 
legislature that each county dedicating land for use as county 
parks be encouraged to beautify and improve those parks through 
measures including but not limited to improvements in or additions 
to lighting, directional and educational signs, litter abatement 
strategies, and landscaping and landscape maintenance policies.  In 
furtherance of these goals, the County Park Beautification and 
Improvement Program is established.
	Sec. 328.002.  IMPLEMENTATION.  The commissioners court of a 
county may by majority vote elect to participate in the program.  On 
such election, the commissioners court shall designate one person 
in the division of the county government responsible for the care 
and maintenance of the county parks as the coordinator for the 
program.  The coordinator may solicit advice and assistance from 
state and county agencies and private organizations in developing 
and implementing the program.
	Sec. 328.003.  REPORT; ADOPTION.  The coordinator shall 
report to the commissioners court the coordinator's findings and 
shall recommend an implementation strategy to the commissioners 
court.  The commissioners court may reject or adopt the 
implementation strategy.  If the commissioners court rejects the 
strategy, it shall specify to the coordinator the reasons for such 
rejection, and the coordinator shall develop a new implementation 
strategy to present to the commissioners court within six months of 
the rejection.  On adoption of an implementation strategy, the 
commissioners court may fund the program as provided in Section 
328.004.
	Sec. 328.004.  FUNDING.  The commissioners court of a county 
electing to participate in the program may solicit and accept 
bequests, donations, grants, and other money, goods, and services 
from federal, state, and private sources to finance and further the 
goals of the program but may not levy any tax or receive any 
legislative appropriation to fund such participation.  The state is 
not liable for debts or other obligations incurred by a county in 
implementing or planning to implement the program under this 
chapter.
	SECTION 2.  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.