H.B. No. 2968

AN ACT

relating to the preservation of the Alamo complex and surrounding area and to the Alamo Preservation Advisory Board.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 31, Natural Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 31.450 to read as follows:

Sec. 31.450. FINDINGS; MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. (a) The legislature finds that:

(1) the Alamo has played an important role in the history of this state and continues to be a symbol of liberty and freedom for this state;

(2) this state wants to honor the individuals whose lives were lost at the Alamo;

(3) the entire history of the Alamo, from the time the Alamo was established as a mission until the present, should be recognized; and

(4) the Alamo is a world-class destination that provides a place of remembrance and education.

(b) The land office shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the City of San Antonio to coordinate the planning and development of improvements to the Alamo complex and the area immediately surrounding the complex.

SECTION 2. Sections 31.455(a) and (b), Natural Resources Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The land office may establish an Alamo Preservation Advisory Board to provide advice, proposals, and recommendations to:

(1) promote the development of a world-class site to educate visitors on the history and importance of the Alamo in this state's fight for independence and to honor the people who lost their lives at the Alamo;

(2) promote and support the Alamo complex;

(3) [(2)] provide the resources and support necessary to advance the understanding and education of current and future generations on the historical significance and factual record of the Alamo complex;

(4) [(3)] inspire virtues of honor and Texas pride;

(5) [(4)] preserve the memory and achievement of individuals who served at the Alamo and provide a fitting tribute to the heroism of the people who paid the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and of the noble men and women of this state who have served in the armed forces or died while serving in the armed forces to ensure the freedom of the people of this state;

(6) provide educational and museum facilities [(5) promote and provide] for the preservation, perpetuation, appropriate publication, and display of manuscripts, books, relics, pictures, oral histories, and all other items and information related to the history of the Alamo complex and of this state that preserve the historical character of the Alamo shrine; and

(7) [(6)] promote, counsel, and provide support to governmental and private organizations that are committed to objectives similar to the objectives described in this subsection.

(b) The advisory board is composed of:

(1) the commissioner or the commissioner's designee, who serves as the presiding officer of the advisory board;

(2) a designee appointed by the governor;

(3) a representative of the Alamo Endowment, appointed by the commissioner [the president general of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas];

(4) the director of the Alamo [current Alamo chairperson of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas];

(5) [the immediate past Alamo chairperson of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas;

[(6)] the Alamo curator;

(6) [(7)] one representative of the Texas Historical Commission;

(7) a designee appointed by the county judge of [(8) the president of the] Bexar County [Historical Commission]; [and]

(8) a designee appointed by the mayor [(9) one representative who serves as a member] of the City of San Antonio; [Office of Historic Preservation]

(9) a designee appointed by the commissioner representing the local travel and tourism industry and the businesses and landholders from the area immediately surrounding the Alamo complex;

(10) one member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and

(11) one senator appointed by the lieutenant governor.

SECTION 3. (a) The term of a member serving on the Alamo Preservation Advisory Board immediately before the effective date of this Act whose position on the board is abolished by the changes in law made by this Act expires on the effective date of this Act.

(b) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, each appointing official shall appoint members to the Alamo Preservation Advisory Board as required by Section 31.455, Natural Resources Code, as amended by this Act.

(c) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the General Land Office shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the City of San Antonio as required by Section 31.450(b), Natural Resources Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 2968 was passed by the House on May 5, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 132, Nays 13, 2 present, not voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 2968 on May 28, 2015, and requested the appointment of a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 2968 on May 31, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 124, Nays 19, 2 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 2968 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 25, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 2968 on May 30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________

Date

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Governor