CHAPTER 782. CULTURAL BASIN ACT

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GOVERNMENT CODE

TITLE 7. INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS

CHAPTER 782. CULTURAL BASIN ACT

Sec. 782.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as the

Cultural Basin Act of 1973.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.002. PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to

improve the quality of life for the residents of Texas by:

(1) stimulating orderly economic and socially desirable

development; and

(2) conserving and utilizing the state's human and natural

resources.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.003. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Commission" means a cultural basin commission.

(2) "Council of government" means a regional planning commission

or similar regional planning agency created under Chapter 391,

Local Government Code.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.004. CREATION. (a) The governor shall designate a

geographical area in the state as a cultural basin if:

(1) there is a commonality within the area, based on cultural,

historical, and economic factors;

(2) the areas of commonality within the proposed cultural basin

are contiguous; and

(3) state planning regions may be used as building blocks for

the formation of the cultural basin.

(b) The governor shall designate no fewer than four and no more

than seven cultural basins.

cultural basins.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.005. GREATER SOUTH TEXAS CULTURAL BASIN. (a) The

Greater South Texas Cultural Basin is designated as the first

cultural basin.

(b) The experience of the Greater South Texas Cultural Basin

Commission shall be used in the formulation and development of

additional cultural basin commissions.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.006. COMMISSION. (a) The governor shall appoint a

commission for each cultural basin the governor designates.

(b) A commission shall meet quarterly and at other times as

called by a majority of the commission members or the commission

chairman.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.007. COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP. (a) A commission is

composed of the following members appointed by the governor:

(1) five local citizens;

(2) the presiding officer of each council of government in the

cultural basin;

(3) six administrative heads of state agencies; and

(4) five representatives of federal agencies.

(b) Members of a commission serve for terms of two years.

commission.

(d) A member of the commission is entitled to reimbursement for

actual expenses incurred in the performance of the member's

duties if the expenses are not reimbursed from another source.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.008. DUTIES OF CERTAIN COMMISSION MEMBERS. (a)

Members of the commission who are citizen representatives or

local officials shall:

(1) establish local and basin-wide goals and priorities; and

(2) make management and policy decisions.

(b) The members of a commission who are presiding officers of

councils of government shall:

(1) coordinate the efforts, programs, goals, and projects of the

council with those of the cultural basin commission; and

(2) make management and policy decisions.

representatives shall design programs and allocate funds to

implement the goals set by the commission.

(d) The administrative heads of state agencies shall coordinate

activities of the commission with all state agencies.

(e) A commission, in setting its local goals, shall:

(1) consult existing groups, including local human resource

councils; and

(2) utilize information, studies, and proposed solutions to

problems from citizen commissions, including the Rural

Development Commission.

(f) The governor shall present plans and proposals of the

commission for review to the appropriate state agencies and,

along with the recommendations of the agencies, recommend to the

legislature actions to be taken regarding the cultural basins.

(g) The governor shall provide an effective and continuing

liaison between the federal government, state agencies, and all

commissions.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.009. FUNCTIONS OF COMMISSION. (a) A commission shall,

with respect to its cultural basin:

(1) foster surveys and studies to provide information for the

preparation of plans and programs for the development of the

cultural basin;

(2) advise and assist the governor in coordinating councils of

government to maximize benefits from the expenditure of federal,

state, and local funds;

(3) promote increased private investment in the cultural basin;

(4) prepare legislative and other recommendations for

short-range and long-range programs and projects;

(5) develop, on a continuing basis, comprehensive and

coordinated plans and programs for the cultural basin and

establish priorities among these plans and programs, considering

other federal, state, regional, and local plans;

(6) conduct and sponsor investigations, research, and studies,

including an inventory and analysis of the resources of the

cultural basin;

(7) in cooperation with federal, state, regional, and local

agencies, sponsor demonstration projects to foster cultural basin

productivity and growth;

(8) in cooperation with the agency involved, review and study

federal, state, regional, and local public and private programs

and recommend modifications or additions that increase the

programs' effectiveness in the cultural basin;

(9) formulate and recommend interstate compacts and other forms

of interstate cooperation;

(10) formulate and recommend international agreements between

the United States and Mexico that have significant impact on the

economy or delivery of services to the people of this state; and

(11) establish and use citizen input, advisory councils, and

public conferences for the consideration of problems and

solutions for the cultural basin.

(b) A commission may make recommendations to the legislature and

to appropriate local officials regarding:

(1) the expenditure of funds by federal, state, and local

agencies in the cultural basin in the areas of:

(A) natural resources;

(B) agriculture;

(D) training;

(E) health and welfare;

(F) transportation;

(G) recreation;

(H) public works; and

(I) other areas related to the purposes of this chapter; and

(2) additional state legislation or administrative actions

necessary to further the purposes of this chapter.

disapprove funding to a county, city, or council of government.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.010. ASSISTANCE BY GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND STATE

AGENCIES. (a) The governor's office shall provide technical

assistance and staff support to assist a commission in the

performance of its duties and to develop its recommendations and

programs.

(b) Assistance must include:

(1) studies and plans evaluating the needs of and developing the

potential for the economic growth of the cultural basin; and

(2) research on improving the conservation and use of human and

natural resources in the basin.

through:

(1) members of the governor's staff;

(2) the payment of funds authorized by this section;

(3) contracts with private individuals, partnerships, firms,

corporations, or suitable institutions; and

(4) grants to the commission.

(d) A state agency shall assist a commission in performing its

functions.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.011. COORDINATION BY STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. State

and federal agencies shall coordinate existing programs and

design state and federal programs through contact and

communications with the members of a commission.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.012. BUDGETARY CONSIDERATIONS; FUNDS. (a) A

commission is within the governor's office for budgetary

purposes, with necessary expenses of operations financed by

line-item appropriations to the governor's office.

(b) A commission may accept gifts and grants from a person. The

funds received shall be deposited in the state treasury and may

be used as appropriated by the legislature, subject to the

limitations in the gift or grant and in accordance with the

annual report or other recommendations of a commission.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.013. DEVELOPMENT GRANT. (a) The legislature shall

appropriate a development grant fund. On receipt of a report

under Section 782.008(f), the legislature may release appropriate

development grant funds in block grant form to be used by a

commission in accordance with the commission's report.

(b) The governor shall encourage each commission and reviewing

state agency to follow procedures that consider the following

factors when developing recommendations and funding for

recommendations, setting priorities, and taking other appropriate

actions:

(1) the relationship of the project to the overall cultural

basin development, including its location in an area determined

to have a significant potential for growth;

(2) the population and area to be served by the project and the

relative per capita income and the unemployment rates in the

area;

(3) the relative financial resources available to the state or

political subdivision that will undertake the project;

(4) the importance of the project in relation to other projects

that may be in competition for the same funds;

(5) the prospects that the project, on a continuing rather than

a temporary basis, will improve the opportunities for employment,

the average level of income, or the economic and social

development of the area served by the project; and

(6) any possible environmental impact of the project.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

Sec. 782.014. ANNUAL REPORT. (a) On or before December 1 of

each year, each commission shall make a written report to the

governor and the presiding officer of each house of the

legislature.

(b) The report must include a statement of the commission's

activities and recommendations.

Sections 782.008(f) and 782.013.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 38, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1991.

State Codes and Statutes

State Codes and Statutes

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State Codes and Statutes

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