By: Watson S.B. No. 574
(Naishtat)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the State Cemetery preservation trust
fund.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 2165, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 2165.2565 to read as follows:
Sec. 2165.2565. STATE CEMETERY PRESERVATION TRUST FUND.
(a) The State Cemetery preservation trust fund is created as a
trust fund outside the state treasury to be held with the
comptroller in trust. The State Cemetery Committee shall
administer the fund as trustee on behalf of the people of this
state. The fund consists of money:
(1) transferred or appropriated to the fund; and
(2) received by the State Cemetery Committee under
Section 2165.256(s) and deposited to the fund by the committee.
(b) The interest received from investment of money in the
fund shall be credited to the fund.
(c) Money in the fund may be used only to:
(1) maintain, renovate, make major repairs or capital
improvements to, or preserve the State Cemetery, as determined by
the State Cemetery Committee; or
(2) acquire land in close proximity to the State
Cemetery for expansion of the cemetery.
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 222.002, Transportation
Code, or any other law, as soon as practicable after the sale of
property that is the subject of Section 2165.256(b-1), Government
Code, the comptroller of public accounts shall transfer from the
state highway fund to the State Cemetery preservation trust fund,
as created by this Act, an amount of money equal to the portion of
the proceeds attributable to the sale of that property that is
required to be deposited by the Texas Department of Transportation
in a subaccount in the state highway fund for use by the State
Cemetery Committee under the terms of a memorandum of understanding
entered into between the department and the State Cemetery
Committee.
SECTION 3. 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, 2015.