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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a commission to prepare for the |
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celebration of the state's bicentennial. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "commission" means the |
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Texas 2036 Commission. |
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SECTION 2. COMMISSION. (a) The Texas 2036 Commission is |
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created. |
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(b) The commission is composed of 12 members. The executive |
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director of the Texas Historical Commission, the president general |
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of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, and the chair of the |
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board of directors of the State Fair of Texas are members of the |
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commission. The governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker |
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of the house of representatives shall each appoint one member to the |
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commission. The county judges of Bexar, Dallas, El Paso, Harris, |
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Tarrant, and Travis Counties shall each appoint one member to the |
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commission. |
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(c) Appointed members of the commission serve for two years |
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and may be reappointed. |
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(d) Appointments to the commission shall be made without |
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regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or |
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national origin of the appointee. |
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(e) A vacancy in an appointed office of the commission shall |
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be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. |
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SECTION 3. OFFICERS. The commission shall elect one of its |
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members to serve as chair for a term of two years. The chair is |
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entitled to vote on all matters before the commission. |
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SECTION 4. COMPENSATION. A member of the commission serves |
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without compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for actual |
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and necessary expenses incurred in performing functions as a member |
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of the commission, subject to any applicable limitation on |
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reimbursement provided by the General Appropriations Act. |
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SECTION 5. MEETINGS. The commission shall meet at the call |
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of the chair and as provided by commission rule. |
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SECTION 6. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. (a) The |
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commission may adopt rules as necessary for its procedures. |
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(b) The commission shall plan and coordinate state and local |
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activities related to the celebration of the state's bicentennial. |
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(c) The commission may encourage individuals, private |
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organizations, and local governmental bodies to organize |
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appropriate activities and may gather and disseminate information |
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to the public relating to those activities. |
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(d) The commission may solicit and accept gifts and grants |
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from any source to be used by the commission in performing its |
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functions under this Act. |
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SECTION 7. COMMISSION REPORTS. (a) Before each regular |
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session of the legislature, the commission shall report to the |
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legislature on its activities during the preceding two-year period. |
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The report must include an accounting, verified by a certified |
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public accountant, of the money raised and spent by the commission |
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during the period covered by the report. |
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(b) As soon after March 2, 2036, as the commission |
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determines that it has completed its work and has satisfied its |
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financial obligations, but not later than December 31, 2036, the |
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commission shall file with the legislature and the secretary of |
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state a final report verified by a certified public accountant that |
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shows: |
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(1) the total amount of contributions received by the |
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commission during the commission's existence; |
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(2) the total amount of expenditures made by the |
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commission; and |
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(3) the total amount of money remaining in the |
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commission's possession. |
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(c) On the date on which the commission files its final |
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report, the commission shall deliver to the comptroller of public |
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accounts all unexpended and unobligated money that the commission |
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possesses. The comptroller shall deposit the money to the credit of |
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the general revenue fund. |
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SECTION 8. EXPIRATION. This Act expires and the commission |
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is abolished January 1, 2037. |
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SECTION 9. INITIAL APPOINTMENTS. The governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and the appropriate county judges shall make the appointments |
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required by Section 2 of this Act not later than November 1, 2013. |
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SECTION 10. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members |
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elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas |
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Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for |
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immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |