BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 537
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, there is no recognition in the State Cemetery for the 19th-century African American legislators.
As proposed, S.B. 537 requires the design and construction of a cenotaph located at the Texas State Cemetery in honor of the 19th-century African American legislators to honor and recognize their sacrifice, unwavering courage, and service to Texas.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 2165.256, Government Code, by adding Subsection (t), as follows:
(t) Requires the State Cemetery Committee (committee) to provide for the design and construction of a cenotaph in the State Cemetery honoring 19th-century African American members of the Texas Legislature. Requires the Texas Building and Procurement Commission (TBPC), upon request from the committee, to provide assistance to the committee in relation to the design or construction of the cenotaph, or by entering into a contract with another entity for the design, construction, or both the design and construction of the cenotaph.
SECTION 2. Requires TBPC to transfer to the committee during the biennium an amount, not to exceed $20,000, sufficient to enable the committee, with the assistance of TBPC, to perform the committee's duties under Section 2165.256 (t), provided that the committee does not receive an appropriation under Section 2165.2561 (k) (Appropriated Monies for the State Cemetery), Government Code, for the state fiscal biennium that begins September 1, 2007, in a sufficient amount to enable the committee to perform its duties under Section 2165.256 (t), Government Code, as added by this Act, in addition to the amounts necessary to enable the committee to perform other duties.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.