Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SJR75 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.J.R. No. 75
	1	+	88R26838 JAM-D
	2	+	By: Perry, et al. S.J.R. No. 75
	3	+	(King of Uvalde)
	4	+	Substitute the following for S.J.R. No. 75: No.
2	5
3	6
	7	+	A JOINT RESOLUTION
4	8		proposing a constitutional amendment creating the Texas water fund
5	9		to assist in financing water projects in this state.
6	10		BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
7	11		SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
8	12		adding Section 49-d-16 to read as follows:
9	13		Sec. 49-d-16. (a) The Texas water fund is created as a
10	14		special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue
11	15		fund. The fund is administered by the Texas Water Development Board
12	16		or by that board's successor in function as provided by general law.
13		-	The legislature may appropriate money for the purpose of depositing
14		-	the money to the fund to be available for transfer as provided by
15		-	Subsection (b) of this section.
16	17		(b) The administrator of the Texas water fund may use the
17	18		fund only to transfer money to other funds or accounts administered
18	19		by the Texas Water Development Board or that board's successor in
19	20		function. The administrator may restore to the fund money
20	21		transferred from the fund and deposited to the credit of another
21	22		fund or account. Legislative appropriation is not required for the
22		-	administrator to transfer money from or restore money to the fund,
23		-	including the transfer of money from the fund to or the restoration
24		-	of the money from:
25		-	(1) the Water Assistance Fund No. 480;
26		-	(2) the New Water Supply for Texas Fund;
27		-	(3) the Rural Water Assistance Fund No. 301; or
28		-	(4) the Statewide Water Public Awareness Account.
	23	+	administrator to transfer money from or restore money to the fund.
29	24		(c) The Texas water fund consists of:
30	25		(1) money transferred or deposited to the credit of
31	26		the fund by general law, including money appropriated by the
32	27		legislature directly to the fund and money from any source
33	28		transferred or deposited to the credit of the fund authorized by
34	29		general law;
35	30		(2) any other revenue that the legislature by statute
36	31		dedicates for deposit to the credit of the fund;
37	32		(3) investment earnings and interest earned on amounts
38	33		credited to the fund;
39	34		(4) money from gifts, grants, or donations to the
40	35		fund; and
41	36		(5) money returned from any authorized transfer.
42	37		(d) The legislature by general law shall provide for the
43	38		manner in which money from the Texas water fund may be used, subject
44	39		to the limitations provided by this section.
45		-	(e) Of the amount of money initially appropriated to the
46		-	Texas water fund, the administrator of the fund shall allocate not
47		-	less than 25 percent to be used only for transfer to the New Water
48		-	Supply for Texas Fund.
49		-	(f) The expenses of managing the investments of the Texas
50		-	water fund shall be paid from that fund.
51		-	(g) For purposes of Section 22, Article VIII, of this
	40	+	(e) The legislature by general law may provide for costs of
	41	+	investment of the Texas water fund to be paid from that fund.
	42	+	(f) For purposes of Section 22, Article VIII, of this
52	43		constitution:
53	44		(1) money in the Texas water fund is dedicated by this
54	45		constitution; and
55	46		(2) an appropriation of state tax revenues for the
56	47		purpose of depositing money to the credit of the Texas water fund is
57	48		treated as if it were an appropriation of revenues dedicated by this
58	49		constitution.
59		-	(h) ~~Any unexpended and unobligated balance remaining in~~ the
60		-	~~Texas water fund at~~ the ~~end~~ of ~~a state fiscal biennium is~~
61		-	~~appropriated~~ to the ~~administrator of that fund for the following~~
62		-	~~state fiscal biennium for the purposes authorized by~~ this ~~section~~.
	50	+	(g) On January 1, 2024, the comptroller of public accounts
	51	+	shall transfer $3 billion of the unencumbered balance of the
	52	+	general revenue fund that exists on that date to the Texas water
	53	+	fund. This subsection expires December 31, 2024.
63	54		SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
64	55		submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023.
65	56		The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
66	57		proposition: "The constitutional amendment creating the Texas
67	58		water fund to assist in financing water projects in this state."
68		-	______________________________ ______________________________
69		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
70		-	I hereby certify that S.J.R. No. 75 passed the Senate on
71		-	April 3, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0;
72		-	May 22, 2023, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
73		-	requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 23, 2023, House
74		-	granted request of the Senate; May 28, 2023, Senate adopted
75		-	Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 31,
76		-	Nays 0.
77		-	______________________________
78		-	Secretary of the Senate
79		-	I hereby certify that S.J.R. No. 75 passed the House, with
80		-	amendments, on May 16, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 135,
81		-	Nays 4, one present not voting; May 23, 2023, House granted request
82		-	of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
83		-	May 28, 2023, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
84		-	following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, one present not voting.
85		-	______________________________
86		-	Chief Clerk of the House
87		-	Received:
88		-	______________________________
89		-	Date
90		-	______________________________
91		-	Secretary of State