By: Miles, Whitmire  S.B. No. 1269
         (In the Senate - Filed March 3, 2017; March 13, 2017, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural
  Affairs; April 6, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0;
  April 6, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1269 By:  Perry
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the establishment of a task force to conduct a
  comprehensive study on flood control infrastructure for Harris and
  Galveston Counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  (a)  In this section, "task force" means the
  task force on flood control infrastructure established under this
  section.
         (b)  The task force is established to conduct a comprehensive
  flood control infrastructure study for Harris and Galveston
  Counties. The study must:
               (1)  assess the existing infrastructure in Harris and
  Galveston Counties with respect to flood control; and
               (2)  identify infrastructure improvements necessary to
  mitigate flooding in those counties.
         (c)  The task force is composed of 12 members as follows:
               (1)  one person appointed by the governor;
               (2)  one person appointed by the lieutenant governor;
               (3)  one person appointed by the speaker of the house of
  representatives;
               (4)  two representatives of the University of Houston's
  Hobby School of Public Affairs or Cullen College of Engineering,
  one of whom is appointed by the author of this Act and one of whom is
  appointed by the sponsor of this Act;
               (5)  two representatives of Texas Southern University's
  Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs or Department
  of Transportation Studies, one of whom is appointed by the author of
  this Act and one of whom is appointed by the sponsor of this Act;
               (6)  one representative of the mayor of the City of
  Houston, appointed by the mayor;
               (7)  one representative of the Harris County
  Commissioners Court, appointed by the commissioners court;
               (8)  one representative of the Galveston County
  Commissioners Court, appointed by the commissioners court;
               (9)  one other person appointed by the author of this
  Act; and
               (10)  one other person appointed by the sponsor of this
  Act.
         (d)  One member appointed under Subsection (c)(4) of this
  section serves as the presiding officer of the task force, and one
  member appointed under Subsection (c)(5) of this section serves as
  the assistant presiding officer.
         (e)  The Hobby School of Public Affairs and the Cullen
  College of Engineering of the University of Houston shall provide
  necessary staff and administrative support to the task force.
         (f)  The Harris County Flood Control District shall serve as
  an advisor to the task force by reviewing task force work products
  and providing data and other information necessary to conduct the
  study.
         (g)  The task force shall prepare a report that includes:
               (1)  a description of the activities of the task force;
               (2)  the findings and recommendations of the task
  force, including any proposed policy recommendations; and
               (3)  any proposals for legislation or other matters the
  task force considers appropriate.
         (h)  Not later than December 1, 2018, the task force shall
  submit the report prepared under this section to:
               (1)  the governor;
               (2)  the lieutenant governor;
               (3)  the speaker of the house of representatives; and
               (4)  the presiding officers of the standing committees
  of the senate and house of representatives having primary
  jurisdiction over issues relating to flood control infrastructure.
         (i)  The task force is abolished and this Act expires January
  1, 2019.
         SECTION 2.  This Act does not make an appropriation. A
  provision of this Act that imposes a new duty on a governmental
  entity is not mandatory during a fiscal period for which the
  legislature has not made a specific appropriation to implement the
  provision.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
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