By: Smithee H.B. No. 5554

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the operation and management of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum by the Texas Historical Commission.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 442, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter B-3 to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER B-3. PANHANDLE-PLAINS HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Sec. 442.067. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "museum" means the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, Texas.

Sec. 442.068. PANHANDLE-PLAINS HISTORICAL MUSEUM; FUND. (a) The museum currently consists of a facility on the campus of West Texas A&M University and a collection owned by the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society.

(b) To the extent authorized by law, the commission may enter into a contract with the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society for the operation and management of the museum. The commission may also enter into a contract with West Texas A&M University or The Texas A&M University System, as needed for the construction, renovation, expansion, maintenance, or management of museum facilities on the campus of West Texas A&M University.

(c) The contract with the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society authorized by this section must include provisions for:

(1) expanding, renovating, managing, maintaining, operating, or providing financial support for the museum collection and museum facility and related assets;

(2) preserving the museum's collection;

(3) employing a museum director and other employees the commission considers necessary to fulfill its duties and responsibilities under the contract;

(4) accepting donations of money, property, and historical relics; and

(5) acquiring property and historical relics with funds available for that purpose.

(d) The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum fund is created as a fund outside the state treasury. The commission shall administer the fund but may contract with the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society for administration of the fund. The fund consists of:

(1) admissions revenue from the operation of the museum;

(2) sales revenue from the operation of the museum gift shop; and

(3) donations made to the commission for the museum.

(e) Money in the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum fund may be spent without legislative appropriation and only to administer, operate, preserve, repair, expand, or otherwise maintain the museum.

(f) Interest and income from the assets of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum fund shall be credited to and deposited in the fund.

SECTION 2. Section 61.003(6), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(6) "Other agency of higher education" means The University of Texas System, System Administration; The University of Texas at El Paso Museum; Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; The Texas A&M University System, Administrative and General Offices; Texas A&M AgriLife Research; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service; Rodent and Predatory Animal Control Service (a part of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service); Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (including the Texas A&M Transportation Institute); Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service; Texas A&M Forest Service; Texas Division of Emergency Management; Texas Tech University Museum; Texas State University System, System Administration; Sam Houston Memorial Museum;[ Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum;] Cotton Research Committee of Texas; Texas Water Resources Institute; Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory; and any other unit, division, institution, or agency which shall be so designated by statute or which may be established to operate as a component part of any public senior college or university, or which may be so classified as provided in this chapter.

SECTION 3. On September 1, 2025, an employee of West Texas A&M University assigned exclusively to the museum becomes an employee of the commission.

SECTION 4. Section 102.35, Education Code, is repealed.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.