BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                     H.B. 2796

80R8389 MXM-F                                                                                             By: Gonzales (Lucio)

                                                                                                         International Relations & Trade

                                                                                                                                            5/10/2007

                                                                                                                                           Engrossed

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In 2005, the Hidalgo County commissioners court considered funding the International Museum of Art & Science in the amount of $50,000.  However, current law does not grant counties the authority to appropriate funds for the purpose of financing museums.

 

H.B. 2796 grants a certain county the authority to operate and finance a museum in the county for specific purposes and to contract with private entities to perform services the county is authorized to perform.

 

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 Subtitle B, Title 10, Local Government Code, by adding Chapter 330, as follows:

 

CHAPTER 330.  MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

Sec. 330.001.  OPERATION AND FINANCING OF COUNTY MUSEUMS.  (a)  Provides that this section applies only to a county that has substantial urban areas and borders on an international boundary, and that, for the purposes of this subsection, a county has substantial urban areas only if at least four municipalities, each with a population of more than 25,000, are located in the county.

 

(b)  Authorizes a county to construct or operate a museum in the county to display, construct, restore, preserve, maintain, or reconstruct buildings, works of art, and related furnishings for exhibitions.

 

(c)  Authorizes a county to contract with an entity operating a museum in the county to provide the museum described by Subsection (b).  Requires the entity, to be eligible to enter into the contract, to be organized under the Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act (Article 1396-1.01 et seq., V.T.C.S.) and accredited by a nationally recognized association of museums acceptable to the county.

 

(d)  Authorizes the commissioners court, as part of the contract, to appropriate money from the general fund of the county to the museum to purchase, display, construct, restore, preserve, maintain, operate, or reconstruct a building, work of art, or related furnishings used by the museum to further its exhibitions or operations and to promote county purposes under this chapter.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.