| 1 | 1 | | H.B. No. 2416 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to creation of the gulf coast protection account to be |
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| 6 | 6 | | administered by the General Land Office. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 31, Natural Resources |
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| 9 | 9 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 31.070 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 31.070. GULF COAST PROTECTION ACCOUNT. (a) The gulf |
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| 11 | 11 | | coast protection account is a dedicated account in the general |
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| 12 | 12 | | revenue fund administered by the land office under this section and |
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| 13 | 13 | | rules adopted by the land office. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (b) The gulf coast protection account consists of money |
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| 15 | 15 | | from: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) gifts, donations, and grants, including federal |
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| 17 | 17 | | grants; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) money appropriated, credited, or transferred to |
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| 19 | 19 | | the account by the legislature. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (c) The land office shall deposit to the credit of the gulf |
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| 21 | 21 | | coast protection account any federal money received by the state |
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| 22 | 22 | | for the protection of the gulf coast, to the extent permitted by |
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| 23 | 23 | | federal law. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (d) Money in the gulf coast protection account may be used |
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| 25 | 25 | | only to pay for expenditures that: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1) are eligible for credit towards the non-federal |
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| 27 | 27 | | match of the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility |
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| 28 | 28 | | Study Final Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact |
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| 29 | 29 | | Statement issued by the Galveston District, Southwestern Division, |
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| 30 | 30 | | of the United States Army Corps of Engineers; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (2) comply with the terms of a local cooperation |
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| 32 | 32 | | agreement executed by the land office and the Gulf Coast Protection |
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| 33 | 33 | | District established under Chapter 9502, Special District Local |
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| 34 | 34 | | Laws Code; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (3) are for projects that are necessary or useful for |
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| 36 | 36 | | the protection of the portion of the gulf coast located within the |
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| 37 | 37 | | territory of the district. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (e) The legislature finds that the expenditure of money in |
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| 39 | 39 | | the gulf coast protection account in accordance with Subsection (d) |
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| 40 | 40 | | serves a public purpose. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (f) The expenditure of money in the gulf coast protection |
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| 42 | 42 | | account is subject to audit by the state auditor. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 44 | 44 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 46 | 46 | | I certify that H.B. No. 2416 was passed by the House on April |
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| 47 | 47 | | 18, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 6, 1 present, not |
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| 48 | 48 | | voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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| 49 | 49 | | No. 2416 on May 24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 1, |
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| 50 | 50 | | 1 present, not voting. |
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| 51 | 51 | | ______________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 53 | 53 | | I certify that H.B. No. 2416 was passed by the Senate, with |
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| 54 | 54 | | amendments, on May 18, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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| 55 | 55 | | 0. |
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| 56 | 56 | | ______________________________ |
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| 57 | 57 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 58 | 58 | | APPROVED: __________________ |
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| 59 | 59 | | Date |
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| 60 | 60 | | __________________ |
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| 61 | 61 | | Governor |
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