| 7 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 5 | | relating to a study of the feasibility and desirability of creating |
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| 9 | 6 | | and maintaining a coastal barrier system. |
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| 10 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 8 | | SECTION 1. (a) The legislature shall establish a joint |
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| 12 | 9 | | interim committee to continue to study the feasibility and |
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| 13 | 10 | | desirability of creating and maintaining a coastal barrier system |
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| 14 | 11 | | in this state that includes a series of gates and barriers to |
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| 15 | 12 | | prevent storm surge damage to gulf beaches or coastal ports, |
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| 16 | 13 | | industry, or property. |
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| 17 | 14 | | (b) The committee is composed of: |
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| 18 | 15 | | (1) the members of the standing committee of the |
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| 19 | 16 | | senate that has primary jurisdiction over natural resources; |
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| 20 | 17 | | (2) the members of the standing committee of the house |
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| 21 | 18 | | of representatives that has primary jurisdiction over land and |
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| 22 | 19 | | resource management; |
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| 23 | 20 | | (3) two members of the senate appointed by the |
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| 24 | 21 | | lieutenant governor, each of whom represents a district in a county |
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| 25 | 22 | | that borders the Gulf of Mexico; and |
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| 26 | 23 | | (4) two members of the house of representatives |
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| 27 | 24 | | appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, each of |
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| 28 | 25 | | whom represents a district in a county that borders the Gulf of |
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| 29 | 26 | | Mexico. |
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| 30 | 27 | | (c) The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of |
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| 31 | 28 | | representatives shall jointly designate a chair or, alternatively, |
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| 32 | 29 | | designate two co-chairs from among the committee membership. |
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| 33 | 30 | | (d) The committee may adopt rules necessary to carry out the |
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| 34 | 31 | | committee's duties under this section. |
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| 35 | 32 | | (e) Not later than December 1, 2016, the committee shall |
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| 36 | 33 | | report to the governor and the legislature the findings of the study |
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| 37 | 34 | | and any recommendations developed by the committee under this |
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| 38 | 35 | | section. |
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| 39 | 36 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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| 37 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 38 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 39 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 695 passed the Senate on |
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| 40 | + | March 23, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 41 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 42 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 43 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 695 passed the House on |
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| 44 | + | May 15, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 129, Nays 10, two |
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| 45 | + | present not voting. |
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| 46 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 47 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 48 | + | Approved: |
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| 49 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 50 | + | Date |
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| 51 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 52 | + | Governor |
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