By: Hughes S.B. No. 1350
(In the Senate - Filed February 18, 2025; March 6, 2025,
read first time and referred to Committee on Economic Development;
March 26, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; March 26, 2025,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1350 By: Alvarado
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a commission to coordinate celebrations of the
bicentennial anniversary of Texas' independence.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle D, Title 4, Government Code, is amended
by adding Chapter 452 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 452. TEXAS BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION
Sec. 452.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "commission"
means the Texas Bicentennial Commission.
Sec. 452.002. COMMISSION. (a) The Texas Bicentennial
Commission is composed of the following 23 members appointed as
follows:
(1) nine members of the public appointed by the
governor with the advice and consent of the senate;
(2) three senators appointed by the lieutenant
governor;
(3) three members of the house of representatives
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
(4) the following ex officio members:
(A) the executive head of the Texas Economic
Development and Tourism Office within the office of the governor;
(B) the executive director of the Texas
Historical Commission;
(C) the executive director of the Texas
Commission on the Arts;
(D) the director of the Texas Film Commission;
(E) the commissioner of education;
(F) the commissioner of higher education;
(G) the director of the travel information
division of the Texas Department of Transportation; and
(H) the director of the Institute of Texan
Cultures at The University of Texas at San Antonio.
(b) The public members appointed by the governor must
reflect the diverse geographic regions and population groups of
this state.
(c) Each member of the commission is a voting member. The
duties performed by an ex officio member of the commission
constitute additional duties of the underlying position that
qualifies the member for service on the commission.
(d) A member of the commission who is a senator or
representative vacates the member's position if the member ceases
to hold the underlying position that qualifies the member for
service on the commission.
(e) A public member shall serve until a successor is
appointed and qualified.
(f) A vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be
filled for the unexpired term in the manner provided for the
original appointment.
Sec. 452.003. TERMS. Appointed members of the commission
serve staggered six-year terms with the terms of three members
appointed by the governor, one member appointed by the lieutenant
governor, and one member appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives expiring on January 31 of each odd-numbered year.
Sec. 452.004. PRESIDING OFFICER. (a) The governor shall
appoint one member of the commission to serve as presiding officer.
The presiding officer serves at the will of the governor.
(b) If the presiding officer is absent from a meeting or is
disabled, the members of the commission present at the meeting
shall elect a temporary presiding officer by majority vote.
Sec. 452.005. MEETINGS; QUORUM. (a) The commission shall
meet at least quarterly and at other times at the call of the
presiding officer or as provided by commission rule.
(b) Chapter 551 applies to the commission.
(c) Thirteen members of the commission constitute a quorum.
Sec. 452.006. COMPENSATION; REIMBURSEMENT. (a) A member
of the commission is not entitled to compensation for service on the
commission but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and
necessary expenses incurred in performing commission duties,
subject to any applicable limitation on reimbursement provided by
the General Appropriations Act.
(b) A member appointed by the governor shall be reimbursed
from the commission's funds. A member appointed by the lieutenant
governor or speaker of the house of representatives shall be
reimbursed from the appropriate fund of the member's chamber of the
legislature. An ex officio member shall be reimbursed from the
funds of the entity from which the member serves.
Sec. 452.007. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; STAFF. (a) The
commission may employ an executive director to serve as the
executive head of the commission and perform its administrative
functions.
(b) The executive director may employ staff necessary to
administer the commission.
Sec. 452.008. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSION. The
commission shall:
(1) encourage individuals, private organizations, and
local governmental bodies to organize activities celebrating the
bicentennial of this state's independence;
(2) assist individuals, private organizations, and
local governmental bodies that organize bicentennial activities to
coordinate the activities;
(3) gather and disseminate information to the public
about bicentennial activities conducted in the state;
(4) develop standards for bicentennial activities
organized by individuals, private organizations, and local
governmental bodies and sanction activities that comply with the
standards;
(5) invite national and international dignitaries to
attend and participate in bicentennial activities conducted in this
state;
(6) encourage persons living outside the state to
attend bicentennial activities occurring in the state;
(7) develop a logo to be used by the commission and
permit other persons to use the logo if the commission considers the
use appropriate; and
(8) sanction products the commission may sell,
including a commemorative calendar or flag, commemorating the
state's bicentennial.
Sec. 452.009. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2037, the
commission shall file a report with the governor and the
legislature containing information about the effects of the
bicentennial activities conducted in this state on the state's
economy.
Sec. 452.010. DONATIONS; GRANTS. The commission may
solicit and accept, on behalf of the state, gifts, grants, and
donations from any source to be used by the commission to perform
its duties.
Sec. 452.011. RULES. The commission may adopt rules
necessary to perform its functions.
Sec. 452.012. EXPIRATION. The commission is abolished and
this chapter expires September 1, 2037.
SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 1, 2025, the
governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of
representatives shall appoint the initial members to the Texas
Bicentennial Commission in accordance with Section 452.002,
Government Code, as added by this Act.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 452.003, Government Code, as
added by this Act, in making the initial appointments to the Texas
Bicentennial Commission under Subsection (a) of this section:
(1) the governor shall designate three members for
terms expiring January 31, 2027, three members for terms expiring
January 31, 2029, and three members for terms expiring January 31,
2031;
(2) the lieutenant governor shall designate one member
for a term expiring January 31, 2027, one member for a term expiring
January 31, 2029, and one member for a term expiring January 31,
2031; and
(3) the speaker of the house of representatives shall
designate one member for a term expiring January 31, 2027, one
member for a term expiring January 31, 2029, and one member for a
term expiring January 31, 2031.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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