By: Watson S.B. No. 7
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation, purpose, implementation, and funding of
  the County Park Beautification and Improvement Program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 10, Local Government Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 328 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 328. COUNTY PARK BEAUTIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
         Sec. 328.001.  PURPOSE; CREATION. It is the intent of the
  legislature that each county dedicating land for use as county
  parks be encouraged to beautify and improve those parks through
  measures including but not limited to improvements in or additions
  to lighting, directional and educational signs, litter abatement
  strategies, and landscaping and landscape maintenance policies. In
  furtherance of these goals, the County Park Beautification and
  Improvement Program is established.
         Sec. 328.002.  IMPLEMENTATION. The commissioners court of a
  county may by majority vote elect to participate in the program. On
  such election, the commissioners court shall designate one person
  in the division of the county government responsible for the care
  and maintenance of the county parks as the coordinator for the
  program. The coordinator may solicit advice and assistance from
  state and county agencies and private organizations in developing
  and implementing the program.
         Sec. 328.003.  REPORT; ADOPTION. The coordinator shall
  report to the commissioners court the coordinator's findings and
  shall recommend an implementation strategy to the commissioners
  court. The commissioners court may reject or adopt the
  implementation strategy. If the commissioners court rejects the
  strategy, it shall specify to the coordinator the reasons for such
  rejection, and the coordinator shall develop a new implementation
  strategy to present to the commissioners court within six months of
  the rejection. On adoption of an implementation strategy, the
  commissioners court may fund the program as provided in Section
  328.004.
         Sec. 328.004.  FUNDING. The commissioners court of a county
  electing to participate in the program may solicit and accept
  bequests, donations, grants, and other money, goods, and services
  from federal, state, and private sources to finance and further the
  goals of the program but may not levy any tax or receive any
  legislative appropriation to fund such participation. The state is
  not liable for debts or other obligations incurred by a county in
  implementing or planning to implement the program under this
  chapter.
         SECTION 2.  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 on the 91st day after the last day of the
  legislative session.