S.B. No. 526

	AN ACT
	relating to the abolishment of certain advisory committees and
	other state entities.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE FRAUD TASK FORCE. (a)  The
	residential mortgage fraud task force is abolished.
	(b)  Section 402.033, Government Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
	follows:
	(b)  If a person determines or reasonably suspects that
	fraudulent activity has been committed or is about to be committed,
	the person shall report the information to an authorized
	governmental agency. If a person reports the information to the
	attorney general, the attorney general shall notify an appropriate
	law enforcement agency with jurisdiction to investigate the
	fraudulent activity [each agency with representation on the
	residential mortgage fraud task force under Section 402.032]. If a
	financial institution or person voluntarily or pursuant to this
	section reports fraudulent activity to an authorized governmental
	agency, the financial institution or person may not notify any
	person involved in the fraudulent activity that the fraudulent
	activity has been reported, and the authorized governmental agency
	who has any knowledge that such report was made shall not disclose
	to any person involved in the fraudulent activity that the
	fraudulent activity has been reported.  Any financial institution
	or person that makes a voluntary report of any possible violation of
	law or regulation to an authorized governmental agency shall not be
	liable to any person under any law or regulation of the state or the
	United States for such report.
	(d)  An authorized governmental agency may share
	confidential information or information to which access is
	otherwise restricted by law with one or more other authorized
	governmental agencies. Except as provided by this subsection,
	confidential information that is shared under this subsection
	remains confidential and legal restrictions on access to the
	information apply.
	(c)  Section 402.032, Government Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 2.  ADVISORY OVERSIGHT COMMUNITY OUTREACH
	COMMITTEE. (a)  The Advisory Oversight Community Outreach
	Committee is abolished.
	(b)  Section 411.0197, Government Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 3.  RAIN HARVESTING AND WATER RECYCLING TASK FORCE.
	(a)  The task force under Section 2113.301(h), Government Code, as
	repealed by this section, is abolished.
	(b)  Section 2113.301(h), Government Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 4.  STATE COGENERATION COUNCIL. (a)  The State
	Cogeneration Council is abolished.  All rules adopted by the State
	Cogeneration Council are abolished.
	(b)  Section 2302.024, Government Code, is amended to read as
	follows:
	Sec. 2302.024.  AUTHORITY TO SELL POWER.  A [(a)     After the
	council has approved the application to construct or operate a
	cogeneration facility, a] cogenerating state agency may contract in
	the same manner as a qualifying facility for the sale to an electric
	utility of firm or nonfirm power produced by the state agency
	cogeneration facility that exceeds the agency's power
	requirements.
	[(b)     A cogenerating state agency may consult with the
	council about the price or other terms of a contract entered under
	this section.]
	(c)  The following provisions of the Government Code are
	repealed:
	(1)  Section 2302.001(3);
	(2)  Sections 2302.002, 2302.003, 2302.004, 2302.005,
	2302.006, and 2302.007;
	(3)  Section 2302.021(a); and
	(4)  Section 2302.022.
	SECTION 5.  INFORMATION RESOURCES STEERING COMMITTEE.
	(a)  The information resources steering committee is abolished.
	(b)  Section 231.013, Family Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 6.  PREMARITAL EDUCATION HANDBOOK ADVISORY
	COMMITTEE. (a)  The advisory committee under Section 2.014(d),
	Family Code, as repealed by this section, is abolished.
	(b)  Section 2.014(d), Family Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 7.  INDEPENDENT REVIEW ORGANIZATION ADVISORY GROUP.
	(a)  The advisory group under Section 4202.011, Insurance Code, as
	repealed by this section, is abolished.
	(b)  Section 4202.011, Insurance Code, is repealed.
	SECTION 8.  VEHICLE PROTECTION PRODUCT WARRANTOR ADVISORY
	BOARD. (a)  The Vehicle Protection Product Warrantor Advisory
	Board is abolished.
	(b)  Subchapter C, Chapter 2306, Occupations Code, is
	repealed.
	SECTION 9.  ALTERNATIVE FUELS COUNCIL. (a)  The Alternative
	Fuels Council is abolished.
	(b)  On the effective date of this Act, a rule, form, policy,
	procedure, or decision of the Alternative Fuels Council continues
	in effect as a rule, form, policy, procedure, or decision of the
	comptroller of public accounts until superseded or repealed by an
	act of the comptroller.
	(c)  A vehicle or other property to which Section 113.290,
	Natural Resources Code, as repealed by this section, applied may be
	transferred to another person.
	(d)  Section 1232.106, Government Code, is amended to read as
	follows:
	Sec. 1232.106.  EVALUATION OF APPLICATION FOR ASSISTANCE
	WITH ALTERNATIVE FUEL PROJECTS. (a)  The comptroller [Alternative
	Fuels Council] shall evaluate an application by an eligible entity
	for the financing under Section 1232.104 of the acquisition,
	construction, or improvement of alternative fuels infrastructure
	and shall determine whether the proposed project will increase
	energy or cost savings to the applicant.
	(b)  The authority may not issue an obligation under Section
	1232.104 unless the comptroller [Alternative Fuels Council]
	certifies that the proposed project will increase energy or cost
	savings to the applicant.
	(c)  The comptroller [Alternative Fuels Council] by rule may
	adopt procedures and standards for the evaluation of an application
	for the financing of a proposed project under Section 1232.104.
	(e)  Subchapter J, Chapter 113, Natural Resources Code, is
	repealed.
	SECTION 10.  QUALIFIED AGRICULTURAL LAND AND QUALIFIED
	TIMBER LAND PROPERTY TAX VALUATION MANUALS APPROVAL COMMITTEES.
	(a)  The committees under Sections 23.52(d) and 23.73(b), Tax Code,
	before amendment by this section, are abolished.
	(b)  Section 23.52(d), Tax Code, is amended to read as
	follows:
	(d)  The comptroller by rule shall develop and distribute to
	each appraisal office appraisal manuals setting forth this method
	of appraising qualified open-space land, and each appraisal office
	shall use the appraisal manuals in appraising qualified open-space
	land. The comptroller by rule shall develop and the appraisal
	office shall enforce procedures to verify that land meets the
	conditions contained in Subdivision (1) of Section 23.51 [of this
	code]. The rules, before taking effect, must be approved by the
	comptroller with the review and counsel of the Department of
	Agriculture [a majority vote of a committee comprised of the
	following officials or their designees: the governor, the
	comptroller, the attorney general, the agriculture commissioner,
	and the Commissioner of the General Land Office].
	(c)  Section 23.73(b), Tax Code, is amended to read as
	follows:
	(b)  The comptroller by rule shall develop and distribute to
	each appraisal office appraisal manuals setting forth this method
	of appraising qualified timber land, and each appraisal office
	shall use the appraisal manuals in appraising qualified timber
	land. The comptroller by rule shall develop and the appraisal
	office shall enforce procedures to verify that land meets the
	conditions contained in Section 23.72 [of this code]. The rules,
	before taking effect, must be approved by the comptroller with the
	review and counsel of the Texas A&M Forest Service [majority vote of
	a committee comprised of the following officials or their
	designees: the governor, the comptroller, the attorney general, the
	agriculture commissioner, and the Commissioner of the General Land
	Office].
	SECTION 11.  COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
	(a)  The Communities in Schools advisory committee is abolished.
	(b)  Section 16, Chapter 1156 (H.B. 2879), Acts of the 77th
	Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, is repealed.
	SECTION 12.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect
	September 1, 2017.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 526 passed the Senate on
	April 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
	the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 27, 2017, by the
	following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 526 passed the House, with
	amendment, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 146,
	Nays 0, two present not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	Approved:
	______________________________
	Date
	______________________________
	Governor