Honorable Ryan Guillen, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation & Tourism
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2968 by Guillen (Relating to the Alamo preservation fund and the establishment of an Alamo preservation fund advisory committee.), As Introduced
The fiscal implications of the bill are contingent upon the enactment and subsequent voter approval of a joint resolution that would make a one-time transfer of money from the Economic Stabilization Fund to the new Alamo Preservation Fund.
The bill would amend the Natural Resources Code to create the Alamo Preservation Fund (APF) and to establish the Alamo Preservation Fund Advisory Committee.
The APF would be a special fund in the state Treasury outside the General Revenue Fund as established by Section 49-q, Article III, of the Texas Constitution. The General Land Office (GLO) (1) would manage the fund and could accept gifts, grants or donations; (2) could spend money from the fund for the bill's purposes and in amounts that are less than or equal to the amounts received by the GLO for the same purposes from federal, local and private sources; (3) would retain not less than $25 million in an account in the fund to be known as the Alamo Operation and Maintenance Trust Account.
The bill would create an Advisory Committee to advise GLO on expenditures of money from the APF. The Advisory Committee would consist of 15 members appointed by state officials and officials from Bexar County and the city of San Antonio. The General Land Office indicates it could absorb the costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill within its current resources.
This legislation would do one or more of the following: create or recreate a dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund, create or recreate a special or trust fund either with or outside of the Treasury, or create a dedicated revenue source. The fund, account, or revenue dedication included in this bill would be subject to funds consolidation review by the current Legislature.
The bill would take effect December 1, 2015, but only if the constitutional amendment to establish the APF and make a one-time transfer of money from the Economic Stabilization Fund to the APF is approved by the voters.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 305 General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board