Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1410 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
	1	+	89R11265 JCG-F
1	2		By: Campbell S.B. No. 1410
2		-	(In the Senate - Filed February 19, 2025; March 6, 2025,
3		-	read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
4		-	April 14, 2025, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8,
5		-	Nays 0; April 14, 2025, sent to printer.)
6		-	Click here to see the committee vote
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11	7		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
12	8		AN ACT
13	9		relating to renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
14	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
15	11		ARTICLE 1. RENAMING OF TERMS IN STATE AGENCY RULES, POLICIES, AND
16	12		OTHER MATERIALS
17	13		SECTION 1.01. Subtitle B, Title 10, Government Code, is
18	14		amended by adding Chapter 2063 to read as follows:
19	15		CHAPTER 2063. RENAMING GULF OF MEXICO AS GULF OF AMERICA
20	16		SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
21	17		Sec. 2063.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as
22	18		the Renaming of the Gulf of Mexico for State Agency Consistency Act.
23	19		Sec. 2063.002. PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to
24	20		ensure all state agencies align their rules, policies, and
25	21		administrative actions with federal directives or law regarding the
26	22		renaming of the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. This chapter
27	23		seeks to safeguard state interests and property rights and provide
28	24		for administrative consistency with federal laws, regulations, and
29	25		funding mechanisms, while prioritizing public health and safety.
30	26		Sec. 2063.003. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "state agency"
31	27		means:
32	28		(1) a department, commission, board, office, or other
33	29		agency that is in the executive branch of state government and that
34	30		was created by the constitution or a statute, including an
35	31		institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003,
36	32		Education Code;
37	33		(2) the legislature or a legislative state agency; or
38	34		(3) the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals,
39	35		a court of appeals, a district court, or the Texas Judicial Council
40	36		or another agency in the judicial branch of state government.
41	37		Sec. 2063.004. NO IMPAIRMENT ON LAW, RULES, OR PROCEEDINGS
42	38		INTENDED. Nothing in this chapter may be construed to impair the
43	39		legal validity or effect of a law or rule that contains a reference
44	40		to the Gulf of Mexico or a legal proceeding governed by a law or rule
45	41		containing a reference to the Gulf of Mexico.
46	42		Sec. 2063.005. NONAPPLICABILITY. This chapter does not
47	43		apply to a rule, policy, or other material in which renaming the
48	44		Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America violates a condition of
49	45		federal law or an executive order on which federal funding,
50	46		benefits, obligations, or other legal requirements is based.
51	47		SUBCHAPTER A-1. PUBLIC COMMENT BY GOVERNOR AND SECRETARY OF STATE
52	48		Sec. 2063.031. PUBLIC COMMENT AND REPORT. (a) Not later
53	49		than January 1, 2026, the governor, in collaboration with the
54	50		secretary of state, shall:
55	51		(1) provide an opportunity for the public to comment
56	52		on the implementation of this chapter; and
57	53		(2) produce a report summarizing the public commentary
58	54		received under Subdivision (1).
59	55		(b) The period of public comment required by Subsection (a)
60	56		must be at least 30 days.
61	57		(c) State agencies and political subdivisions may provide
62	58		commentary under this section identifying and addressing any
63	59		potential challenges to the implementation of this chapter.
64	60		Sec. 2063.032. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires January
65	61		1, 2027.
66	62		SUBCHAPTER B. POWERS AND DUTIES OF STATE AGENCIES IN RENAMING GULF
67	63		OF MEXICO TO GULF OF AMERICA
68	64		Sec. 2063.051. DEADLINE TO RENAME. Not later than April 1,
69	65		2026, each state agency shall change each reference to the "Gulf of
70	66		Mexico" in the state agency's rules, policies, and other materials
71	67		to the "Gulf of America."
72	68		Sec. 2063.052. PRIORITY RENAMING. A state agency shall
73	69		prioritize the renaming required by Section 2063.051 in rules,
74	70		policies, and other materials that directly impact public health
75	71		and safety, homeland security, state sovereignty, and the
76	72		protection of commerce, including rules, policies, and other
77	73		materials regarding:
78	74		(1) emergency management and disaster response in
79	75		order to protect lives, property, and critical infrastructure in
80	76		the Gulf of America region;
81	77		(2) the continuity of commercial operations in and
82	78		around the Gulf of America region to ensure economic stability and
83	79		key commercial sectors in this state;
84	80		(3) public health advisories concerning gulf-related
85	81		resources, such as fisheries and water quality, in order to protect
86	82		the well-being of this state's residents;
87	83		(4) the coordination with federal and state homeland
88	84		security agencies to address risks associated with border security,
89	85		security maritime operations, and potential threats to critical
90	86		assets, including commercial shipping routes and port facilities in
91	87		or on the Gulf of America;
92	88		(5) environmental protection regulations to safeguard
93	89		the Gulf of America's natural resources, ensuring resilience
94	90		against threats such as pollution, natural disasters, and
95	91		disruptions to industries reliant on these resources; and
96	92		(6) policies that preserve state sovereignty over the
97	93		management and utilization of Texas coastal resources while
98	94		supporting trade, commerce, and alignment with federal directives
99	95		to maintain the economic strength of the region.
100	96		Sec. 2063.053. RULEMAKING. (a) Except as provided by
101	97		Subsection (b), a state agency shall adopt, readopt, amend, or
102	98		repeal the state agency's rules in accordance with the procedures
103	99		of Chapter 2001 as necessary to change the references to the Gulf of
104	100		Mexico to the Gulf of America.
105	101		(b) A state agency is not required to amend a rule under this
106	102		chapter if the amendment would impose an undue burden or cost on the
107	103		residents, businesses, or political subdivisions of this state.
108	104		SUBCHAPTER C. PLANNING; COMPLIANCE; FEDERAL COORDINATION
109	105		Sec. 2063.101. PLANNING. A state agency shall adopt a plan
110	106		for performing the state agency's duties under this chapter. The
111	107		plan must include detailed procedures and documentation of each
112	108		person's duties under the plan.
113	109		Sec. 2063.102. COMPLIANCE; DOCUMENTATION OF COSTS. A state
114	110		agency shall ensure that in performing the state agency's duties
115	111		under this chapter:
116	112		(1) the state agency complies with the requirements of
117	113		any federal law or executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as
118	114		the Gulf of America;
119	115		(2) the expenditures made for purposes of renaming the
120	116		Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America comply with applicable federal
121	117		and state laws; and
122	118		(3) the costs associated with performing the state
123	119		agency's duties under this chapter are documented.
124	120		Sec. 2063.103. DATA INTEGRITY AND SECURITY. A state agency
125	121		shall maintain data integrity and security in performing the state
126	122		agency's duties under this chapter.
127	123		Sec. 2063.104. FEDERAL COORDINATION AUTHORIZED. A state
128	124		agency may coordinate with any federal office or agency in
129	125		performing the state agency's duties under this chapter.
130	126		Sec. 2063.105. REPORT ON PROGRESS AND DELAYS. (a) Not
131	127		later than September 1, 2026, each state agency shall issue a report
132	128		to the legislature on the progress the state agency has made in
133	129		implementing this chapter, any challenges the state agency
134	130		encountered in implementing this chapter, and any issues the agency
135	131		needs to address to complete implementation of this chapter,
136	132		including as necessary recommendations for further action to ensure
137	133		compliance with this chapter.
138	134		(b) This section expires January 1, 2027.
139	135		SUBCHAPTER D. FUTURE CHANGES TO NAMES
140	136		Sec. 2063.151. GOVERNOR AUTHORIZED TO ORDER NAME CHANGE.
141	137		(a) If federal law or executive order requires governmental
142	138		entities to rename a place or thing, other than the Gulf of Mexico,
143	139		the governor by executive order may require each state agency to
144	140		rename the place or thing under procedures similar to the
145	141		procedures prescribed by this chapter.
146	142		(b) The governor may establish procedures for the renaming
147	143		described by Subsection (a) similar to the procedures under this
148	144		chapter and establish additional procedures as necessary regarding
149	145		notice to the public or interagency coordination for purposes of
150	146		this section.
151	147		SUBCHAPTER E. ENFORCEMENT
152	148		Sec. 2063.201. AUDIT BY STATE AUDITOR. (a) The state
153	149		auditor may review as necessary the operations and financial
154	150		statements of a state agency to ensure the state agency is in
155	151		compliance with this chapter.
156	152		(b) After a review conducted under this section, the state
157	153		auditor shall issue recommendations for corrective actions to the
158	154		state agency.
159	155		Sec. 2063.202. INJUNCTION BY ATTORNEY GENERAL. The
160	156		attorney general may bring an action for injunctive relief against
161	157		a state agency that violates or is threatening to violate this
162	158		chapter to compel the state agency to comply with this chapter.
163	159		ARTICLE 2. RENAMING OF TERMS IN TEXAS CODES AND STATUTES
164	160		SECTION 2.01. Subchapter A, Chapter 311, Government Code,
165	161		is amended by adding Section 311.007 to read as follows:
166	162		Sec. 311.007. REFERENCES TO GULF OF MEXICO. (a) A
167	163		reference in law to the Gulf of Mexico is a reference to the Gulf of
168	164		America.
169	165		(b) For purposes of this section, "Gulf of America" means
170	166		the body of water formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico and renamed
171	167		the "Gulf of America" by federal law or executive order.
172	168		SECTION 2.02. Subchapter B, Chapter 312, Government Code,
173	169		is amended by adding Section 312.017 to read as follows:
174	170		Sec. 312.017. REFERENCES TO GULF OF MEXICO. (a) A
175	171		reference in law to the Gulf of Mexico is a reference to the Gulf of
176	172		America.
177	173		(b) For purposes of this section, "Gulf of America" means
178	174		the body of water formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico and renamed
179	175		the "Gulf of America" by federal law or executive order.
180	176		SECTION 2.03. The Texas Legislative Council shall prepare
181	177		for consideration by the 90th Legislature a nonsubstantive revision
182	178		of the Texas codes and revised statutes changing each reference to
183	179		the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America."
184	180		ARTICLE 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
185	181		SECTION 3.01. This Act takes effect immediately if it
186	182		receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
187	183		house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
188	184		If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
189	185		effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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