86R11489 CJC-D
 
  By: Landgraf H.B. No. 2154
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the allocation of certain constitutional transfers of
  money to the economic stabilization fund, the state highway fund,
  and the generate recurring oil wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) fund
  and to the permissible uses of money deposited to the generate
  recurring oil wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) fund.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 316.092(a), (b), and (c), Government
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year
  [preceding the year in which this section expires as provided by
  Subsection (e)], the speaker of the house of representatives and
  the lieutenant governor shall appoint a select committee as
  follows:
               (1)  the speaker of the house of representatives shall
  appoint five members of the house of representatives as members of
  the committee; and
               (2)  the lieutenant governor shall appoint five members
  of the senate as members of the committee.
         (b)  For the purposes of Section 49-g(c-2), Article III,
  Texas Constitution, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered
  year [preceding the year in which this section expires as provided
  by Subsection (e)], the select committee shall determine and adopt
  for the next state fiscal biennium a sufficient balance of the fund
  in an amount that the committee estimates will ensure an
  appropriate amount of revenue available in the fund.  In
  determining the sufficient balance for that fiscal biennium, the
  committee shall consider:
               (1)  the history of fund balances;
               (2)  the history of transfers to the fund;
               (3)  estimated fund balances during that fiscal
  biennium;
               (4)  estimated transfers to the fund to occur during
  that fiscal biennium;
               (5)  information available to the committee regarding
  state highway congestion and funding demands; and
               (6)  any other information requested by the committee
  regarding the state's financial condition.
         (c)  On or before October 1 of each even-numbered year
  [preceding the year in which this section expires as provided by
  Subsection (e)], the comptroller shall provide to the select
  committee the comptroller's projection of the amounts to be
  transferred to the fund during the next state fiscal biennium.
         SECTION 2.  The heading to Section 316.093, Government Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 316.093.  ADJUSTMENT OF CERTAIN CONSTITUTIONAL
  ALLOCATIONS BETWEEN [TO] FUND AND OTHER FUNDS [STATE HIGHWAY FUND].
         SECTION 3.  Sections 316.093(b), (c), and (e), Government
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  If the sum described by Subsection (a) is less than the
  sufficient balance adopted under Section 316.092, the comptroller
  shall reduce proportionately the allocations [allocation] to the
  state highway fund and the generate recurring oil wealth for Texas
  (GROW Texas) fund provided by Section 49-g(c-1) [49-g(c)], Article
  III, Texas Constitution, and increase the allocation to the
  economic stabilization fund[,] in an [equal] amount equal to the
  reduction of those allocations[,] until the sufficient balance
  adopted under Section 316.092 is achieved.
         (c)  If under Section 316.092 a sufficient balance has not
  been adopted for the comptroller to consider under this section,
  the comptroller shall adjust the allocation of amounts to be
  transferred to the fund, [and to] the state highway fund, and the
  generate recurring oil wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) fund as
  provided by Section 49-g(c-1) [49-g(c)], Article III, Texas
  Constitution, so that the total of those amounts is transferred to
  the economic stabilization fund, except that the comptroller shall
  reduce a transfer made under this subsection as necessary to
  prevent the amount in the fund from exceeding the limit in effect
  for that biennium under Section 49-g(g) of that article.
         (e)  For the purposes of Section 49-g(c-2), Article III,
  Texas Constitution, the comptroller shall adjust the allocation
  provided by Section 49-g(c-1) of that article so that the amount
  allocated for transfer [of amounts to be transferred to the fund
  and] to the state highway fund under Section 49-g(c-1) [49-g(c)] of
  that article in a state fiscal year beginning on or after September
  1, 2025, [so that the total of those amounts] is instead transferred
  to the economic stabilization fund, except that the comptroller
  shall reduce a transfer made under this subsection as necessary to
  prevent the amount in the fund from exceeding the limit in effect
  for that biennium under Section 49-g(g) of that article. The
  adjustment required of the comptroller under this subsection does
  not increase the amount allocated for transfer to the generate
  recurring oil wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) fund under Section
  49-g(c-1) of that article.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter G, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 403.1081 to read as follows:
         Sec. 403.1081.  GENERATE RECURRING OIL WEALTH FOR TEXAS
  (GROW TEXAS) FUND; GRANT PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "fund"
  means the generate recurring oil wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) fund
  under Section 49-g-3, Article III, Texas Constitution.
         (b)  Money in the fund may be appropriated by the legislature
  only as provided under Subsections (c), (d), and (e).
         (c)  The legislature may appropriate money in the fund to the
  Texas Department of Transportation for the purposes of
  constructing, reconstructing, or maintaining transportation
  infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and culverts, in areas of
  this state affected by increased oil and gas production to
  alleviate the degradation of that infrastructure.
         (d)  The legislature may appropriate money in the fund to the
  Department of Public Safety for the purposes of:
               (1)  paying the salaries, benefit costs, and other
  costs associated with additional full-time equivalent department
  employees stationed in areas of this state affected by increased
  oil and gas production;
               (2)  paying salary increases to department employees
  stationed in areas of this state affected by increased oil and gas
  production; or
               (3)  providing additional resources to prevent gang
  violence and human trafficking in areas of this state affected by
  increased oil and gas production.
         (e)  The legislature may appropriate money in the fund to the
  comptroller for the purpose of implementing, administering, and
  funding the grant program established under Subsection (f).
         (f)  The comptroller by rule shall establish a grant program
  to provide financial assistance to political subdivisions located
  in areas of this state affected by increased oil and gas production
  and shall develop an application process for grants made under the
  program. The comptroller shall adopt rules to prioritize grants
  for first responder, emergency services, educational, and
  workforce preparedness needs.
         SECTION 5.  The following provisions of the Government Code
  are repealed:
               (1)  Section 316.092(e);
               (2)  Section 316.093(f); and
               (3)  Section 404.0241(d).
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2020, but only
  if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 86th Legislature,
  Regular Session, 2019, providing for the creation of the generate
  recurring oil wealth for Texas (GROW Texas) fund, dedicating the
  money in that fund to benefit areas of the state from which oil and
  gas are produced, and providing for the transfer of certain general
  revenues to that fund, the economic stabilization fund, and the
  state highway fund is approved by the voters. If that amendment is
  not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.