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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the abolishment of certain advisory committees and |
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other state entities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE FRAUD TASK FORCE. (a) The |
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residential mortgage fraud task force is abolished. |
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(b) Section 402.033, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) If a person determines or reasonably suspects that |
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fraudulent activity has been committed or is about to be committed, |
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the person shall report the information to an authorized |
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governmental agency. If a person reports the information to the |
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attorney general, the attorney general shall notify an appropriate |
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law enforcement agency with jurisdiction to investigate the |
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fraudulent activity [each agency with representation on the
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residential mortgage fraud task force under Section 402.032]. If a |
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financial institution or person voluntarily or pursuant to this |
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section reports fraudulent activity to an authorized governmental |
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agency, the financial institution or person may not notify any |
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person involved in the fraudulent activity that the fraudulent |
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activity has been reported, and the authorized governmental agency |
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who has any knowledge that such report was made shall not disclose |
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to any person involved in the fraudulent activity that the |
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fraudulent activity has been reported. Any financial institution or |
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person that makes a voluntary report of any possible violation of |
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law or regulation to an authorized governmental agency shall not be |
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liable to any person under any law or regulation of the state or the |
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United States for such report. |
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(d) An authorized governmental agency may share |
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confidential information or information to which access is |
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otherwise restricted by law with one or more other authorized |
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governmental agencies. Except as provided by this subsection, |
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confidential information that is shared under this subsection |
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remains confidential and legal restrictions on access to the |
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information apply. |
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(c) Section 402.032, Government Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 2. ADVISORY OVERSIGHT COMMUNITY OUTREACH |
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COMMITTEE. (a) The Advisory Oversight Community Outreach |
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Committee is abolished. |
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(b) Section 411.0197, Government Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. RAIN HARVESTING AND WATER RECYCLING TASK FORCE. |
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(a) The task force under Section 2113.301(h), Government Code, as |
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repealed by this section, is abolished. |
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(b) Section 2113.301(h), Government Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 4. STATE COGENERATION COUNCIL. (a) The State |
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Cogeneration Council is abolished. All rules adopted by the State |
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Cogeneration Council are abolished. |
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(b) Section 2302.024, Government Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 2302.024. AUTHORITY TO SELL POWER. A [(a)
After the
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council has approved the application to construct or operate a
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cogeneration facility, a] cogenerating state agency may contract in |
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the same manner as a qualifying facility for the sale to an electric |
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utility of firm or nonfirm power produced by the state agency |
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cogeneration facility that exceeds the agency's power |
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requirements. |
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[(b)
A cogenerating state agency may consult with the
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council about the price or other terms of a contract entered under
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this section.] |
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(c) The following provisions of the Government Code are |
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repealed: |
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(1) Section 2302.001(3); |
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(2) Sections 2302.002, 2302.003, 2302.004, 2302.005, |
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2302.006, and 2302.007; |
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(3) Section 2302.021(a); and |
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(4) Section 2302.022. |
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SECTION 5. INFORMATION RESOURCES STEERING COMMITTEE. (a) |
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The information resources steering committee is abolished. |
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(b) Section 231.013, Family Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 6. PREMARITAL EDUCATION HANDBOOK ADVISORY |
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COMMITTEE. (a) The advisory committee under Section 2.014(d), |
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Family Code, as repealed by this section, is abolished. |
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(b) Section 2.014(d), Family Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 7. INDEPENDENT REVIEW ORGANIZATION ADVISORY GROUP. |
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(a) The advisory group under Section 4202.011, Insurance Code, as |
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repealed by this section, is abolished. |
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(b) Section 4202.011, Insurance Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 8. VEHICLE PROTECTION PRODUCT WARRANTOR ADVISORY |
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BOARD. (a) The Vehicle Protection Product Warrantor Advisory |
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Board is abolished. |
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(b) Subchapter C, Chapter 2306, Occupations Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 9. ALTERNATIVE FUELS COUNCIL. (a) The Alternative |
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Fuels Council is abolished. |
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(b) On the effective date of this Act, a rule, form, policy, |
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procedure, or decision of the Alternative Fuels Council continues |
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in effect as a rule, form, policy, procedure, or decision of the |
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comptroller of public accounts until superseded or repealed by an |
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act of the comptroller. |
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(c) A vehicle or other property to which Section 113.290, |
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Natural Resources Code, as repealed by this section, applied may be |
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transferred to another person. |
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(d) Section 1232.106, Government Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 1232.106. EVALUATION OF APPLICATION FOR ASSISTANCE |
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WITH ALTERNATIVE FUEL PROJECTS. (a) The comptroller [Alternative
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Fuels Council] shall evaluate an application by an eligible entity |
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for the financing under Section 1232.104 of the acquisition, |
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construction, or improvement of alternative fuels infrastructure |
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and shall determine whether the proposed project will increase |
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energy or cost savings to the applicant. |
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(b) The authority may not issue an obligation under Section |
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1232.104 unless the comptroller [Alternative Fuels Council] |
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certifies that the proposed project will increase energy or cost |
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savings to the applicant. |
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(c) The comptroller [Alternative Fuels Council] by rule may |
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adopt procedures and standards for the evaluation of an application |
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for the financing of a proposed project under Section 1232.104. |
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(e) Subchapter J, Chapter 113, Natural Resources Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 10. QUALIFIED AGRICULTURAL LAND AND QUALIFIED |
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TIMBER LAND PROPERTY TAX VALUATION MANUALS APPROVAL COMMITTEES. |
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(a) The committees under Sections 23.52(d) and 23.73(b), Tax Code, |
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before amendment by this section, are abolished. |
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(b) Section 23.52(d), Tax Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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(d) The comptroller by rule shall develop and distribute to |
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each appraisal office appraisal manuals setting forth this method |
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of appraising qualified open-space land, and each appraisal office |
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shall use the appraisal manuals in appraising qualified open-space |
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land. The comptroller by rule shall develop and the appraisal |
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office shall enforce procedures to verify that land meets the |
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conditions contained in Subdivision (1) of Section 23.51 [of this
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code]. The rules, before taking effect, must be approved by the |
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comptroller with the review and counsel of the Department of |
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Agriculture [a majority vote of a committee comprised of the
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following officials or their designees: the governor, the
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comptroller, the attorney general, the agriculture commissioner,
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and the Commissioner of the General Land Office]. |
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(c) Section 23.73(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) The comptroller by rule shall develop and distribute to |
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each appraisal office appraisal manuals setting forth this method |
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of appraising qualified timber land, and each appraisal office |
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shall use the appraisal manuals in appraising qualified timber |
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land. The comptroller by rule shall develop and the appraisal |
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office shall enforce procedures to verify that land meets the |
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conditions contained in Section 23.72 [of this code]. The rules, |
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before taking effect, must be approved by the comptroller with the |
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review and counsel of the Texas A&M Forest Service [majority vote of
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a committee comprised of the following officials or their
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designees: the governor, the comptroller, the attorney general, the
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agriculture commissioner, and the Commissioner of the General Land
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Office]. |
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SECTION 11. COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) |
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The Communities in Schools advisory committee is abolished. |
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(b) Section 16, Chapter 1156 (H.B. 2879), Acts of the 77th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, is repealed. |
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SECTION 12. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect |
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September 1, 2017. |