| 1 | 1 | | 87R9301 JAM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Paul H.B. No. 3537 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the feasibility of creating and maintaining a coastal |
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| 8 | 8 | | barrier system. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. (a) The legislature shall establish a joint |
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| 11 | 11 | | interim committee to continue to study the implementation of a |
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| 12 | 12 | | coastal barrier system in this state that includes a series of gates |
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| 13 | 13 | | and barriers to prevent storm surge damage to gulf beaches or |
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| 14 | 14 | | coastal ports, industry, or property. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (b) The committee is composed of: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) the members of the standing committee of the |
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| 17 | 17 | | senate that has primary jurisdiction over natural resources; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) the members of the standing committee of the house |
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| 19 | 19 | | of representatives that has primary jurisdiction over land and |
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| 20 | 20 | | resource management; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (3) two members of the senate appointed by the |
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| 22 | 22 | | lieutenant governor, each of whom represents a district in a county |
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| 23 | 23 | | that borders the Gulf of Mexico; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (4) two members of the house of representatives |
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| 25 | 25 | | appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, each of |
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| 26 | 26 | | whom represents a district in a county that borders the Gulf of |
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| 27 | 27 | | Mexico. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (c) The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of |
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| 29 | 29 | | representatives shall jointly designate a chair or, alternatively, |
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| 30 | 30 | | designate two co-chairs from among the committee membership. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (d) The committee may adopt rules necessary to carry out the |
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| 32 | 32 | | committee's duties under this section. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (e) Not later than December 1, 2022, the committee shall |
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| 34 | 34 | | report to the governor and the legislature the findings of the study |
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| 35 | 35 | | and any recommendations developed by the committee under this |
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| 36 | 36 | | section. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (f) The committee is abolished and this Act expires January |
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| 38 | 38 | | 9, 2023. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 40 | 40 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 41 | 41 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 42 | 42 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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