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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the display of certain historical state documents. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter L, Chapter 441, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 441.206 and 441.207 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 441.206. DISPLAY OF CERTAIN HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS IN |
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CAPITOL COMPLEX. (a) The commission, in consultation and |
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collaboration with the State Preservation Board and the Texas |
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Historical Commission, shall designate an appropriate place in the |
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Capitol Complex to securely display the Texas Constitution and the |
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Texas Declaration of Independence. |
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(b) The commission shall pay the costs attributable to the |
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display of the Texas Constitution and the Texas Declaration of |
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Independence using available funds or funds appropriated to the |
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commission for that purpose. |
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(c) The commission, in consultation and collaboration with |
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the State Preservation Board and the Texas Historical Commission |
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and not later than December 1, 2027, shall: |
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(1) develop a plan to display in the Capitol Complex |
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the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Texas Constitution; |
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(2) publish the plan on the commission's Internet |
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website; and |
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(3) provide a copy of the plan to the standing |
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committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over the state's |
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historical resources. |
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(d) Subsection (c) and this subsection expire September 1, |
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2031. |
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Sec. 441.207. CARE, CUSTODY, AND DISPLAY OF VICTORY OR |
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DEATH LETTER. (a) In this section, "victory or death letter" means |
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the letter written by Lieutenant Colonel William B. Travis dated |
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February 24, 1836, and signed "Victory or Death." |
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(b) The commission, in consultation and collaboration with |
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the State Preservation Board and the Texas Historical Commission, |
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is responsible for the care and custody of the victory or death |
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letter. |
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(c) The commission shall designate an appropriate place in |
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the Alamo complex to securely display the victory or death letter. |
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(d) Until the commission designates an appropriate place in |
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the Alamo complex to display the victory or death letter and |
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determines an appropriate time to securely transfer the letter to |
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that place, the commission shall display the victory or death |
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letter at the Capitol Complex with other historical documents, |
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including the Texas Constitution and Texas Declaration of |
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Independence. |
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(e) Costs attributable to the display of the victory or |
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death letter under Subsection (c) or (d) shall be paid by money from |
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the Alamo complex account and are an authorized use of the money |
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under Section 31.454(e), Natural Resources Code. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |