BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4767

By: Homer

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law provides for the designation of state symbols and for the recognition of places, but does not provide guidelines for the process to designate days, weeks, or months as a form of recognition.

H.B. 4767 provides guidelines for the legislative designation of days, weeks, or months for recognition.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4767 amends the Government Code to authorize the legislature to assign more than one designation to a day, week, or month. The bill requires the legislature, before it is authorized to designate a day, week, or month for recognition, to be presented with information that relates to the historical or cultural significance of the day, week, or month by persons supporting the designation. The bill establishes that a designation expires on the 10th anniversary of the date the legislature finally passes the resolution making the designation and specifies that the legislature is not prevented from redesignating a day, week, or month during or after the 10-year period. The bill requires a resolution proposing a designation, to be effective, to be referred to and reported by the appropriate committee in each house in the manner provided for bills. The bill provides that provisions relating to resolutions for state symbols, place designations, and recognition days, weeks, and months do not affect the designation of a day, week, or month made by resolution before September 1, 2009, or made by statute. The bill defines "date designation."

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.