By: Johnson S.J.R. No. 82
(In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2023; March 21, 2023, read
first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
April 18, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 18, 2023,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.J.R. No. 82 By: Johnson
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the creation of
the Texas power resiliency fund to finance backup power sources.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by
adding Section 49-q to read as follows:
Sec. 49-q. (a) The Texas power resiliency fund is created
as a special fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue
fund.
(b) As provided by general law, money in the Texas power
resiliency fund may be used without further appropriation and
administered only by the Texas Division of Emergency Management or
that division's successor in function to procure and deploy mobile
sources of backup power and to provide grants and loans to finance
the operation of backup power sources.
(c) The entity administering the Texas power resiliency
fund may establish separate accounts in the fund as necessary or
convenient for the fund's administration.
(d) The Texas power resiliency fund consists of:
(1) money credited, appropriated, or transferred to
the fund by the legislature;
(2) revenue that the legislature dedicates for deposit
to the credit of the fund;
(3) the returns received from the investment of the
money in the fund; and
(4) gifts, grants, and donations contributed to the
credit of the fund.
(e) The reasonable expenses of managing the fund's assets
shall be paid from the fund.
(f) For purposes of Section 22, Article VIII, of this
constitution:
(1) money in the Texas power resiliency fund is
dedicated by this constitution; and
(2) an appropriation of state tax revenues for the
purpose of depositing money to the credit of the Texas power
resiliency fund is treated as if it were an appropriation of
revenues dedicated by this constitution.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2023.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for the
creation of the Texas power resiliency fund to finance backup power
sources."
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