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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the removal, relocation, alteration, or construction of |
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certain monuments, memorials, or designations located on public |
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property; authorizing a civil penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 442.015(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) The commission may use distributions from the Texas |
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preservation trust fund account to provide financial assistance to |
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public or private entities for the acquisition, survey, |
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restoration, or preservation, or for planning and educational |
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activities leading to the preservation, of historic property in the |
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state that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places or |
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designated as a State Archeological Landmark or Recorded Texas |
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Historic Landmark, or that the commission determines is eligible |
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for such listing or designation or for the construction of a |
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monument or memorial described by Section 2166.5011(c) or by |
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Section 338.003, Local Government Code. The financial assistance |
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may be in the amount and form and according to the terms that the |
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commission by rule determines. The commission shall give priority |
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to property the commission determines to be endangered by |
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demolition, neglect, underuse, looting, vandalism, or other threat |
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to the property. Gifts and grants deposited to the credit of the |
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account specifically for any eligible projects may be used only for |
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the type of projects specified. If such a specification is not |
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made, the gift or grant shall be unencumbered and accrue to the |
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benefit of the Texas preservation trust fund account. If such a |
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specification is made, the entire amount of the gift or grant may be |
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used during any period for the project or type of project specified. |
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SECTION 2. Section 2166.5011, Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2166.5011. REMOVAL, RELOCATION, [OR] ALTERATION, OR |
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CONSTRUCTION OF A MONUMENT OR MEMORIAL. (a) In this section, |
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"monument or memorial" means a permanent monument, memorial, or |
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other designation, including a statue, portrait, plaque, seal, |
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symbol, cenotaph, building name, bridge name, park name, area name, |
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or street name, that: |
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(1) is located on state property; and |
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(2) honors an event or person of historic significance |
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[a citizen of this state for military or war-related service]. |
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(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code and |
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except as provided by Section 2166.5012, a monument or memorial |
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that has been located on state property: |
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(1) for at least 25 years may be removed, relocated, or |
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altered only by approval of a concurrent resolution authorizing the |
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removal, relocation, or alteration, including alteration to |
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maintain historical accuracy, by a two-thirds vote of the members |
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of each house of the legislature; or |
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(2) for less than 25 years may be removed, relocated, |
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or altered, including alteration to maintain historical accuracy, |
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only by formal action of the governing body of or the single state |
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officer who governs the state agency that erected the monument or |
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memorial[:
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[(1) by the legislature;
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[(2) by the Texas Historical Commission;
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[(3) by the State Preservation Board; or
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[(4) as provided by Subsection (c)]. |
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(c) An additional [A] monument or memorial may be added |
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[removed, relocated, or altered in a manner otherwise provided by
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this code as necessary to accommodate construction, repair, or
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improvements] to the [monument or memorial or to the] surrounding |
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state property on which a [the] monument or memorial is located to |
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complement or contrast with the monument or memorial. [Any monument
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or memorial that is permanently removed under this subsection must
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be relocated to a prominent location.] |
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(d) Notwithstanding Section 2166.003, this section applies |
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to a monument or memorial on property of an institution of higher |
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education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter K, Chapter 2166, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 2166.5012 and 2166.5015 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 2166.5012. CERTAIN DESIGNATIONS BY INSTITUTIONS OF |
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HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Designation" includes a designation of a |
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portrait, plaque, seal, symbol, building name, bridge name, park |
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name, area name, or street name. |
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(2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 2166.003, an institution of |
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higher education may rename or alter a designation only if: |
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(1) the governing board of the institution of higher |
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education has previously adopted rules providing for the naming, |
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renaming, or altering of a designation in recognition of |
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philanthropic gifts to the institution; and |
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(2) the renaming or alteration is approved by the |
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governing board. |
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Sec. 2166.5015. COMPLAINT; EQUITABLE RELIEF; CIVIL |
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PENALTY. (a) A resident of this state may file a complaint with |
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the attorney general if the resident asserts facts supporting an |
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allegation that an entity has violated Section 2166.5011(b) or |
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2166.5012. The resident must include a sworn statement with the |
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complaint stating that to the best of the resident's knowledge all |
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of the facts asserted in the complaint are true and correct. |
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(b) If the attorney general determines that a complaint |
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filed under Subsection (a) against an entity is valid, the attorney |
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general may file a petition for a writ of mandamus or apply for |
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other appropriate equitable relief in a district court in Travis |
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County to compel the entity that is suspected of violating Section |
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2166.5011(b) or 2166.5012 to comply with those sections. |
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(c) An entity that is found by a court as having |
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intentionally violated Section 2166.5011(b) or 2166.5012 is |
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subject to a civil penalty in an amount of: |
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(1) not less than $1,000 and not more than $1,500 for |
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the first violation; and |
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(2) not less than $25,000 and not more than $25,500 for |
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each subsequent violation. |
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(d) Each day of a continuing violation of Section |
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2166.5011(b) or 2166.5012 constitutes a separate violation for |
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purposes of a civil penalty under this section. |
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(e) The court that hears an action brought under this |
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section against an entity shall determine the amount of the civil |
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penalty. |
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(f) A civil penalty collected under this section shall be |
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deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund. |
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(g) Sovereign immunity of this state to suit is waived and |
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abolished to the extent of liability created by this section. |
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SECTION 4. Subtitle C, Title 10, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 338 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 338. MONUMENTS AND MEMORIALS |
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Sec. 338.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "monument or |
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memorial" means a permanent monument, memorial, or other |
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designation, including a statue, portrait, plaque, seal, symbol, |
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cenotaph, building name, bridge name, park name, area name, or |
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street name, that honors an event or person of historic |
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significance. |
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Sec. 338.002. REMOVAL, RELOCATION, OR ALTERATION. A |
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monument or memorial that has been located on municipal or county |
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property: |
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(1) for at least 25 years may be removed, relocated, or |
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altered, including alteration to maintain historical accuracy, |
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only by approval of a majority of the voters of the municipality or |
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county, as applicable, voting at an election held for that purpose; |
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or |
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(2) for less than 25 years may be removed, relocated, |
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or altered, including alteration to maintain historical accuracy, |
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only by the governing body of the municipality or the commissioners |
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court of the county, as applicable. |
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Sec. 338.003. ADDITIONAL MONUMENT OR MEMORIAL. An |
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additional monument or memorial may be added to the surrounding |
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municipal or county property on which a monument or memorial is |
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located to complement or contrast with the monument or memorial. |
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Sec. 338.004. COMPLAINT; EQUITABLE RELIEF; CIVIL PENALTY. |
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(a) A resident of a municipality or county, as applicable, may |
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file a complaint with the attorney general if the resident asserts |
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facts supporting an allegation that the municipality or county has |
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violated Section 338.002. The resident must include a sworn |
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statement with the complaint stating that to the best of the |
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resident's knowledge all of the facts asserted in the complaint are |
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true and correct. |
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(b) If the attorney general determines that a complaint |
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filed under Subsection (a) against a municipality or county is |
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valid, the attorney general may file a petition for a writ of |
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mandamus or apply for other appropriate equitable relief in a |
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district court in Travis County or in the county in which the |
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suspected violation of Section 338.002 is alleged to have occurred |
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to compel the municipality or county to comply with that section. |
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(c) A municipality or county that is found by a court as |
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having intentionally violated Section 338.002 is subject to a civil |
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penalty in an amount of: |
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(1) not less than $1,000 and not more than $1,500 for |
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the first violation; and |
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(2) not less than $25,000 and not more than $25,500 for |
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each subsequent violation. |
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(d) Each day of a continuing violation of Section 338.002 |
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constitutes a separate violation for purposes of a civil penalty |
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under this section. |
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(e) The court that hears an action brought under this |
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section against a municipality or county shall determine the amount |
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of the civil penalty. |
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(f) A civil penalty collected under this section shall be |
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deposited to the credit of the general revenue fund. |
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(g) Sovereign immunity of this state and governmental |
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immunity of a county or municipality to suit is waived and abolished |
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to the extent of liability created by this section. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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