| 1 | 1 | | 88S30428 KBB-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Alvarado S.B. No. 62 |
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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 creation of the Gulf Coast protection account to be |
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| 8 | 8 | | administered by the General Land Office. |
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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. Subchapter C, Chapter 31, Natural Resources |
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| 11 | 11 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 31.070 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 31.070. GULF COAST PROTECTION ACCOUNT. (a) The Gulf |
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| 13 | 13 | | Coast protection account is a dedicated account in the general |
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| 14 | 14 | | revenue fund administered by the land office under this section and |
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| 15 | 15 | | rules adopted by the land office. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) The Gulf Coast protection account consists of: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) money from gifts, donations, and 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) Money in the Gulf Coast protection account may be used |
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| 21 | 21 | | only to pay for expenditures that: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) are necessary to fulfill nonfederal sponsor |
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| 23 | 23 | | obligations under agreements with the United States Army Corps of |
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| 24 | 24 | | Engineers for implementing projects included in the plan |
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| 25 | 25 | | recommended by the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration |
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| 26 | 26 | | Feasibility Study Final Report and Final Environmental Impact |
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| 27 | 27 | | Statement, both dated August 2021 and issued by the Galveston |
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| 28 | 28 | | District of the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the land |
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| 29 | 29 | | office; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) comply with the terms of a local cooperation |
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| 31 | 31 | | agreement executed by the land office and the Gulf Coast Protection |
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| 32 | 32 | | District established under Chapter 9502, Special District Local |
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| 33 | 33 | | Laws Code; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (3) are for projects that: |
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| 35 | 35 | | (A) are necessary or useful for the protection of |
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| 36 | 36 | | the portion of the Gulf Coast located within the territory of the |
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| 37 | 37 | | district; or |
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| 38 | 38 | | (B) would benefit the district and are designated |
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| 39 | 39 | | as coastal storm risk management projects within the Coastal Texas |
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| 40 | 40 | | Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (d) The legislature finds that the expenditure of money in |
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| 42 | 42 | | the Gulf Coast protection account in accordance with Subsection (c) |
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| 43 | 43 | | serves a public purpose. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (e) The expenditure of money in the Gulf Coast protection |
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| 45 | 45 | | account is subject to audit by the state auditor. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the |
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| 47 | 47 | | last day of the legislative session. |
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