By: Perry S.R. No. 708
SENATE RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, That Senate Rule 12.03 be
suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to enable the
conference committee appointed to resolve the differences on
Senate Joint Resolution 75 (proposing a constitutional amendment
creating the Texas water fund to assist in financing water
projects in this state) to consider and take action on the
following matters:
(1) Senate Rules 12.03(1) and (3) are suspended to permit
the committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement
and add text on a matter not in disagreement in proposed SECTION
1 of the resolution, by including in added Section 49-d-16(a),
Article III, Texas Constitution, text that reads as follows:
The legislature may appropriate money for the purpose of
depositing the money to the fund to be available for transfer as
provided by Subsection (b) of this section.
Explanation: The change is necessary to clarify that
money may be appropriated to the Texas water fund.
(2) Senate Rules 12.03(1) and (3) are suspended to permit
the committee to change, alter, or amend text not in disagreement
and add text on a matter not in disagreement in proposed SECTION 1
of the resolution, by including in added Section 49-d-16(b),
Article III, Texas Constitution, text that reads as follows:
, including the transfer of money from the fund to or the
restoration of the money from:
(1) the Water Assistance Fund No. 480;
(2) the New Water Supply for Texas Fund;
(3) the Rural Water Assistance Fund No. 301; or
(4) the Statewide Water Public Awareness Account.
Explanation: The change is necessary to clarify that
money in the Texas water fund may be transferred to or restored
from certain other funds.
(3) Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house
or senate version of the resolution in proposed SECTION 1 of the
resolution, by adding Section 49-d-16(e), Article III, Texas
Constitution, to read as follows:
(e) Of the amount of money initially appropriated to the
Texas water fund, the administrator of the fund shall allocate
not less than 25 percent to be used only for transfer to the New
Water Supply for Texas Fund.
Explanation: The change is necessary to clarify the
purposes for which money in the Texas water fund may be used.
(4) Senate Rule 12.03(4) is suspended to permit the
committee to add text on a matter not included in either the house
or senate version of the resolution in proposed SECTION 1 of the
resolution, by adding Section 49-d-16(h), Article III, Texas
Constitution, to read as follows:
(h) Any unexpended and unobligated balance remaining in
the Texas water fund at the end of a state fiscal biennium is
appropriated to the administrator of that fund for the following
state fiscal biennium for the purposes authorized by this
section.
Explanation: The change is necessary to clarify that
unexpended and unobligated money in the Texas water fund must
remain in that fund until transferred by the administrator of
that fund.
_______________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 28, 2023, by the
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate