BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 928

By: Rodríguez

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties call for the designation of a heritage trail to commemorate Tom Lea and promote heritage tourism across Texas. S.B. 928 seeks to provide for the establishment of the Tom Lea Trail.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 928 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Historical Commission to develop a Tom Lea Trail program to commemorate the life and art of Tom Lea. The bill requires the program, at a minimum, to include designation of locations that are historically significant to the life and art of Tom Lea; adoption of an icon, symbol, or other identifying device to represent such a designation; the use of the icon, symbol, or other identifying device in promoting tourism around Texas by the commission and at the designated locations; and the development of itineraries and maps to guide tourists to the designated locations. The bill requires the commission to adopt eligibility criteria for a designation under the program and procedures to administer the program. The bill requires a historic marker or sign relating to the life and art of Tom Lea that is erected or maintained under the program to be located not more than five miles from a location designated under the program.

S.B. 928 authorizes the commission, as necessary, to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office and the Texas Department of Transportation to implement the bill's provisions and authorizes the commission to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and other donations from any source for that implementation. The bill expressly does not require the commission to promote or market the Tom Lea Trail unless the commission receives funds raised from private entities for that purpose. The bill designates certain segments of highway to constitute the Tom Lea Trail and prohibits that designation from being construed as a designation under the federal National Historic Preservation Act. The bill clarifies that a reference to a municipal boundary in the bill's provisions means that boundary as it exists on September 1, 2017.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.