Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3634 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R11265 JCG-F
2	2	By: Metcalf H.B. No. 3634
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	ARTICLE 1. RENAMING OF TERMS IN STATE AGENCY RULES, POLICIES, AND
12	12	OTHER MATERIALS
13	13	SECTION 1.01. Subtitle B, Title 10, Government Code, is
14	14	amended by adding Chapter 2063 to read as follows:
15	15	CHAPTER 2063. RENAMING GULF OF MEXICO AS GULF OF AMERICA
16	16	SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
17	17	Sec. 2063.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as
18	18	the Renaming of the Gulf of Mexico for State Agency Consistency Act.
19	19	Sec. 2063.002. PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to
20	20	ensure all state agencies align their rules, policies, and
21	21	administrative actions with federal directives or law regarding the
22	22	renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. This chapter
23	23	seeks to safeguard state interests and property rights and provide
24	24	for administrative consistency with federal laws, regulations, and
25	25	funding mechanisms, while prioritizing public health and safety.
26	26	Sec. 2063.003. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "state agency"
27	27	means:
28	28	(1) a department, commission, board, office, or other
29	29	agency that is in the executive branch of state government and that
30	30	was created by the constitution or a statute, including an
31	31	institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003,
32	32	Education Code;
33	33	(2) the legislature or a legislative state agency; or
34	34	(3) the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals,
35	35	a court of appeals, a district court, or the Texas Judicial Council
36	36	or another agency in the judicial branch of state government.
37	37	Sec. 2063.004. NO IMPAIRMENT ON LAW, RULES, OR PROCEEDINGS
38	38	INTENDED. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to impair the
39	39	legal validity or effect of a law or rule that contains a reference
40	40	to the Gulf of Mexico or a legal proceeding governed by a law or rule
41	41	containing a reference to the Gulf of Mexico.
42	42	Sec. 2063.005. NONAPPLICABILITY. This chapter does not
43	43	apply to a rule, policy, or other material in which renaming the
44	44	Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America violates a condition of
45	45	federal law or an executive order on which federal funding,
46	46	benefits, obligations, or other legal requirements is based.
47	47	SUBCHAPTER A-1. PUBLIC COMMENT BY GOVERNOR AND SECRETARY OF STATE
48	48	Sec. 2063.031. PUBLIC COMMENT AND REPORT. (a) Not later
49	49	than January 1, 2026, the governor, in collaboration with the
50	50	secretary of state, shall:
51	51	(1) provide an opportunity for the public to comment
52	52	on the implementation of this chapter; and
53	53	(2) produce a report summarizing the public commentary
54	54	received under Subdivision (1).
55	55	(b) The period of public comment required by Subsection (a)
56	56	must be at least 30 days.
57	57	(c) State agencies and political subdivisions may provide
58	58	commentary under this section identifying and addressing any
59	59	potential challenges to the implementation of this chapter.
60	60	Sec. 2063.032. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires January
61	61	1, 2027.
62	62	SUBCHAPTER B. POWERS AND DUTIES OF STATE AGENCIES IN RENAMING GULF
63	63	OF MEXICO TO GULF OF AMERICA
64	64	Sec. 2063.051. DEADLINE TO RENAME. Not later than April 1,
65	65	2026, each state agency shall change each reference to the "Gulf of
66	66	Mexico" in the state agency's rules, policies, and other materials
67	67	to the "Gulf of America."
68	68	Sec. 2063.052. PRIORITY RENAMING. A state agency shall
69	69	prioritize the renaming required by Section 2063.051 in rules,
70	70	policies, and other materials that directly impact public health
71	71	and safety, homeland security, state sovereignty, and the
72	72	protection of commerce, including rules, policies, and other
73	73	materials regarding:
74	74	(1) emergency management and disaster response in
75	75	order to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure in
76	76	the Gulf of America region;
77	77	(2) the continuity of commercial operations in and
78	78	around the Gulf of America region to ensure economic stability and
79	79	key commercial sectors in this state;
80	80	(3) public health advisories concerning gulf-related
81	81	resources, such as fisheries and water quality, in order to protect
82	82	the well-being of this state's residents;
83	83	(4) the coordination with federal and state homeland
84	84	security agencies to address risks associated with border security,
85	85	security maritime operations, and potential threats to critical
86	86	assets, including commercial shipping routes and port facilities in
87	87	or on the Gulf of America;
88	88	(5) environmental protection regulations to safeguard
89	89	the Gulf of America's natural resources, ensuring resilience
90	90	against threats such as pollution, natural disasters, and
91	91	disruptions to industries reliant on these resources; and
92	92	(6) policies that preserve state sovereignty over the
93	93	management and utilization of Texas coastal resources while
94	94	supporting trade, commerce, and alignment with federal directives
95	95	to maintain the economic strength of the region.
96	96	Sec. 2063.053. RULEMAKING. (a) Except as provided by
97	97	Subsection (b), a state agency shall adopt, readopt, amend, or
98	98	repeal the state agency's rules in accordance with the procedures
99	99	of Chapter 2001 as necessary to change the references to the Gulf of
100	100	Mexico to the Gulf of America.
101	101	(b) A state agency is not required to amend a rule under this
102	102	chapter if the amendment would impose an undue burden or cost on the
103	103	residents, businesses, or political subdivisions of this state.
104	104	SUBCHAPTER C. PLANNING; COMPLIANCE; FEDERAL COORDINATION
105	105	Sec. 2063.101. PLANNING. A state agency shall adopt a plan
106	106	for performing the state agency's duties under this chapter. The
107	107	plan must include detailed procedures and documentation of each
108	108	person's duties under the plan.
109	109	Sec. 2063.102. COMPLIANCE; DOCUMENTATION OF COSTS. A state
110	110	agency shall ensure that in performing the state agency's duties
111	111	under this chapter:
112	112	(1) the state agency complies with the requirements of
113	113	any federal law or executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as
114	114	the Gulf of America;
115	115	(2) the expenditures made for purposes of renaming the
116	116	Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America comply with applicable federal
117	117	and state laws; and
118	118	(3) the costs associated with performing the state
119	119	agency's duties under this chapter are documented.
120	120	Sec. 2063.103. DATA INTEGRITY AND SECURITY. A state agency
121	121	shall maintain data integrity and security in performing the state
122	122	agency's duties under this chapter.
123	123	Sec. 2063.104. FEDERAL COORDINATION AUTHORIZED. A state
124	124	agency may coordinate with any federal office or agency in
125	125	performing the state agency's duties under this chapter.
126	126	Sec. 2063.105. REPORT ON PROGRESS AND DELAYS. (a) Not
127	127	later than September 1, 2026, each state agency shall issue a report
128	128	to the legislature on the progress the state agency has made in
129	129	implementing this chapter, any challenges the state agency
130	130	encountered in implementing this chapter, and any issues the agency
131	131	needs to address to complete implementation of this chapter,
132	132	including as necessary recommendations for further action to ensure
133	133	compliance with this chapter.
134	134	(b) This section expires January 1, 2027.
135	135	SUBCHAPTER D. FUTURE CHANGES TO NAMES
136	136	Sec. 2063.151. GOVERNOR AUTHORIZED TO ORDER NAME CHANGE.
137	137	(a) If federal law or executive order requires governmental
138	138	entities to rename a place or thing, other than the Gulf of Mexico,
139	139	the governor by executive order may require each state agency to
140	140	rename the place or thing under procedures similar to the
141	141	procedures prescribed by this chapter.
142	142	(b) The governor may establish procedures for the renaming
143	143	described by Subsection (a) similar to the procedures under this
144	144	chapter and establish additional procedures as necessary regarding
145	145	notice to the public or interagency coordination for purposes of
146	146	this section.
147	147	SUBCHAPTER E. ENFORCEMENT
148	148	Sec. 2063.201. AUDIT BY STATE AUDITOR. (a) The state
149	149	auditor may review as necessary the operations and financial
150	150	statements of a state agency to ensure the state agency is in
151	151	compliance with this chapter.
152	152	(b) After a review conducted under this section, the state
153	153	auditor shall issue recommendations for corrective actions to the
154	154	state agency.
155	155	Sec. 2063.202. INJUNCTION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL. The
156	156	attorney general may bring an action for injunctive relief against
157	157	a state agency that violates or is threatening to violate this
158	158	chapter to compel the state agency to comply with this chapter.
159	159	ARTICLE 2. RENAMING OF TERMS IN TEXAS CODES AND STATUTES
160	160	SECTION 2.01. Subchapter A, Chapter 311, Government Code,
161	161	is amended by adding Section 311.007 to read as follows:
162	162	Sec. 311.007. REFERENCES TO GULF OF MEXICO. (a) A
163	163	reference in law to the Gulf of Mexico is a reference to the Gulf of
164	164	America.
165	165	(b) For purposes of this section, "Gulf of America" means
166	166	the body of water formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico and renamed
167	167	the "Gulf of America" by federal law or executive order.
168	168	SECTION 2.02. Subchapter B, Chapter 312, Government Code,
169	169	is amended by adding Section 312.017 to read as follows:
170	170	Sec. 312.017. REFERENCES TO GULF OF MEXICO. (a) A
171	171	reference in law to the Gulf of Mexico is a reference to the Gulf of
172	172	America.
173	173	(b) For purposes of this section, "Gulf of America" means
174	174	the body of water formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico and renamed
175	175	the "Gulf of America" by federal law or executive order.
176	176	SECTION 2.03. The Texas Legislative Council shall prepare
177	177	for consideration by the 90th Legislature a nonsubstantive revision
178	178	of the Texas codes and revised statutes changing each reference to
179	179	the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America."
180	180	ARTICLE 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
181	181	SECTION 3.01. This Act takes effect immediately if it
182	182	receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
183	183	house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
184	184	If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
185	185	effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.