By: Huffman, Nichols  S.B. No. 202
         (In the Senate - Filed February 19, 2013; February 25, 2013,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Government
  Organization; March 18, 2013, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; March 18, 2013, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Commission
  on the Arts.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 444.002, Government
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The Texas Commission on the Arts is subject to Chapter
  325 (Texas Sunset Act).  Unless continued in existence as provided
  by that chapter, the commission is abolished and this chapter
  expires September 1, 2025 [2013].
         SECTION 2.  The heading to Section 444.003, Government Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 444.003.  COMPOSITION; TERMS.
         SECTION 3.  Section 444.003, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  The commission is composed of nine [17] members
  appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate.
  The members must represent a diverse cross-section of the [all]
  fields of the arts and be widely known for their professional
  competence and experience in connection with the arts. At least two
  members must be residents of a county with a population of less than
  50,000. Appointments to the commission shall be made without
  regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or
  national origin of the appointees.
         (c)  Members of the commission serve staggered terms of six
  years.
         SECTION 4.  Section 444.024, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  The commission may award grants in accordance with the
  commission's mission to advance the state economically and
  culturally by investing in the arts in this state.
         (a-1)  An applicant for a grant of money from the commission
  shall specify in the grant application a minimum and maximum amount
  of money requested.
         SECTION 5.  (a)  The six positions on the Texas Commission
  on the Arts that have terms scheduled to expire on August 31, 2013,
  are abolished on that date.
         (b)  Two of the six positions on the Texas Commission on the
  Arts with terms scheduled to expire on August 31, 2015, are
  abolished on that date.
         (c)  In appointing members to the Texas Commission on the
  Arts for terms scheduled to begin September 1, 2015, the governor
  shall appoint three members to the commission for terms expiring
  August 31, 2021, and one member to the commission for a term
  expiring August 31, 2019.
         (d)  In appointing members to the Texas Commission on the
  Arts for terms scheduled to begin September 1, 2017, the governor
  shall appoint three members to the commission for terms expiring
  August 31, 2023, and two members to the commission for terms
  expiring August 31, 2019.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
  last day of the legislative session.
 
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