By: Hughes  S.B. No. 1985
         (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2023; March 21, 2023, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources &
  Economic Development; April 20, 2023, reported adversely, with
  favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8,
  Nays 0; April 20, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1985 By:  Hughes
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the reestablishment of the committee to study the
  formation of a Texas Bicentennial Commission.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  DEFINITION. In this Act, "committee" means the
  committee reestablished under Section 2 of this Act.
         SECTION 2.  COMMITTEE. (a) The committee established by
  Chapter 734 (H.B. 4056), Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular
  Session, 2021, is reestablished to continue carrying out the
  committee's duties.  A person who served on the committee
  established by Chapter 734 may be reappointed to the committee
  under Subsection (b) of this section by the relevant appointing
  authority.
         (b)  The committee is composed of 18 members as follows:
               (1)  one member appointed by the governor who serves as
  presiding officer;
               (2)  one member appointed jointly by the lieutenant
  governor and the speaker of the house of representatives who serves
  as assistant presiding officer;
               (3)  five senators appointed by the lieutenant
  governor;
               (4)  five members of the house of representatives
  appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
               (5)  six nonvoting members appointed by the governor
  who are residents of this state with at least one member appointed
  from each state senatorial district that contains one of the
  following:
                     (A)  Fair Park;
                     (B)  the San Jacinto Battleground State Historic
  Site;
                     (C)  the Alamo;
                     (D)  the State Capitol; or
                     (E)  Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic
  Site.
         (c)  The committee must reflect the racial, ethnic, and
  geographic diversity of this state.
         (d)  The committee shall meet at the call of the presiding
  officer. Committee meetings may be held in person, by telephone, or
  by other means of communication.
         (e)  The committee may establish subcommittees to assist the
  committee in carrying out its duties under this Act.
         (f)  A member of the committee may not receive compensation
  for service on the committee.
         (g)  The General Land Office and the Texas Historical
  Commission shall provide administrative support services at the
  request of the committee, including assisting in drafting and
  compiling the report required by this Act.
         (h)  Committee meetings must be open to the public.
         SECTION 3.  STUDY; REPORT. (a) The committee shall study
  the formation of a Texas Bicentennial Commission to plan this
  state's celebration of the 2036 bicentennial, including:
               (1)  the composition of the commission, the manner of
  appointing its members, and the total number of members; and
               (2)  the scope and duties of the commission.
         (b)  Not later than September 30, 2024, the committee shall
  submit a written report to each member of the legislature with
  recommendations on the areas of study described by Subsection (a)
  of this section and any other recommendations the committee
  considers appropriate.  The committee shall submit a second report
  to each member of the legislature not later than September 30, 2026,
  covering the committee's activities performed after the date the
  first report is submitted.
         SECTION 4.  EXPIRATION. The committee is abolished and this
  Act expires January 1, 2027.
         SECTION 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
  1, 2023.
 
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