BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 3844
Veterans Affairs & Military Installations
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current law designating Spur 330 as the Veterans Memorial Highway provides that private funding must be used to fund the design and construction of memorial markers for the highway. The Texas attorney general ruled that "private funds" meant no government funds could be used for the approximately $16,000 signage cost. This precludes the City of Baytown from funding the cost. It also precludes the city from accepting donations since the attorney general ruled that once the donations are made they become "public funds."
H.B. 3844 authorizes a donation of public funds, private funds, or a combination of both to be used for markers designating Spur 330 as the Veterans Memorial Highway.
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 Section 225.059(d), Transportation Code, as added by Chapter 546 (H.B. 1136), Acts of the 79th Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, to provide that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is not required to design, construct, or erect a marker under this section unless a grant or donation of public funds, private funds, or both is made to TxDOT to cover the cost of the design, construction, and erection of the marker.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.