BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 615

By: Estes

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Texas Historical Commission is responsible for the historic preservation of certain state landmarks and buildings and contracts with certain individuals and entities, as provided by law, to renovate, maintain, manage, operate, or financially support a state historical site under the commission's purview. Interested parties observe that renovation and maintenance of historic sites is expensive and that allowing the commission to contract with for-profit corporations could lead to a significant cost savings for the commission and the state. S.B. 615 seeks to provide the commission with the authority to contract with a for-profit corporation. 

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

S.B. 615 amends the Government Code to expand the types of entities with which the Texas Historical Commission is authorized to contract to carry out the commission's statutory powers and duties to include, among other persons, for-profit corporations.  The bill prohibits a contract between the commission and a for-profit corporation from permitting any property preserved, maintained, or administered by the commission to display any corporate name, logo, or product other than a discreet plaque or similar acknowledgment that does not detract from the property's historic purpose. The bill makes changes conforming to this expansion in provisions relating to the commission's contracting for restoring and maintaining historic sites acquired by the commission; contracting or entering into a cooperative agreement for prehistoric or historic archeological investigations, surveys, excavations, or restorations in Texas; contracting for the expansion, renovation, management, operation, or financial support of specified historic sites and for services necessary to carry out the commission's responsibilities regarding these sites; and entering into an agreement for the expansion, renovation, management, operation, or financial support of a historic site transferred from the Parks and Wildlife Department to the commission.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.