H.B. No. 2968
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the preservation of the Alamo complex and surrounding
  area and to the Alamo Preservation Advisory Board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter I, Chapter 31, Natural Resources
  Code, is amended by adding Section 31.450 to read as follows:
         Sec. 31.450.  FINDINGS; MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. (a)
  The legislature finds that:
               (1)  the Alamo has played an important role in the
  history of this state and continues to be a symbol of liberty and
  freedom for this state;
               (2)  this state wants to honor the individuals whose
  lives were lost at the Alamo;
               (3)  the entire history of the Alamo, from the time the
  Alamo was established as a mission until the present, should be
  recognized; and
               (4)  the Alamo is a world-class destination that
  provides a place of remembrance and education.
         (b)  The land office shall enter into a memorandum of
  understanding with the City of San Antonio to coordinate the
  planning and development of improvements to the Alamo complex and
  the area immediately surrounding the complex.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 31.455(a) and (b), Natural Resources
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The land office may establish an Alamo Preservation
  Advisory Board to provide advice, proposals, and recommendations
  to:
               (1)  promote the development of a world-class site to
  educate visitors on the history and importance of the Alamo in this
  state's fight for independence and to honor the people who lost
  their lives at the Alamo;
               (2)  promote and support the Alamo complex;
               (3) [(2)]  provide the resources and support necessary
  to advance the understanding and education of current and future
  generations on the historical significance and factual record of
  the Alamo complex;
               (4) [(3)]  inspire virtues of honor and Texas pride;
               (5) [(4)]  preserve the memory and achievement of
  individuals who served at the Alamo and provide a fitting tribute to
  the heroism of the people who paid the ultimate sacrifice for
  freedom and of the noble men and women of this state who have served
  in the armed forces or died while serving in the armed forces to
  ensure the freedom of the people of this state;
               (6)  provide educational and museum facilities [(5)
  promote and provide] for the preservation, perpetuation,
  appropriate publication, and display of manuscripts, books,
  relics, pictures, oral histories, and all other items and
  information related to the history of the Alamo complex and of this
  state that preserve the historical character of the Alamo shrine;
  and
               (7) [(6)]  promote, counsel, and provide support to
  governmental and private organizations that are committed to
  objectives similar to the objectives described in this subsection.
         (b)  The advisory board is composed of:
               (1)  the commissioner or the commissioner's designee,
  who serves as the presiding officer of the advisory board;
               (2)  a designee appointed by the governor;
               (3)  a representative of the Alamo Endowment, appointed
  by the commissioner [the president general of the Daughters of the
  Republic of Texas];
               (4)  the director of the Alamo [current Alamo
  chairperson of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas];
               (5)  [the immediate past Alamo chairperson of the
  Daughters of the Republic of Texas;
               [(6)]  the Alamo curator;
               (6) [(7)]  one representative of the Texas Historical
  Commission;
               (7)  a designee appointed by the county judge of
  [(8)  the president of the] Bexar County [Historical Commission];
  [and]
               (8)  a designee appointed by the mayor [(9)     one
  representative who serves as a member] of the City of San Antonio;
  [Office of Historic Preservation]
               (9)  a designee appointed by the commissioner
  representing the local travel and tourism industry and the
  businesses and landholders from the area immediately surrounding
  the Alamo complex;
               (10)  one member of the house of representatives
  appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
               (11)  one senator appointed by the lieutenant governor.
         SECTION 3.  (a) The term of a member serving on the Alamo
  Preservation Advisory Board immediately before the effective date
  of this Act whose position on the board is abolished by the changes
  in law made by this Act expires on the effective date of this Act.
         (b)  As soon as practicable after the effective date of this
  Act, each appointing official shall appoint members to the Alamo
  Preservation Advisory Board as required by Section 31.455, Natural
  Resources Code, as amended by this Act.
         (c)  As soon as practicable after the effective date of this
  Act, the General Land Office shall enter into a memorandum of
  understanding with the City of San Antonio as required by Section
  31.450(b), Natural Resources Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2968 was passed by the House on May 5,
  2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 132, Nays 13, 2 present, not
  voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to
  H.B. No. 2968 on May 28, 2015, and requested the appointment of a
  conference committee to consider the differences between the two
  houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report
  on H.B. No. 2968 on May 31, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 124,
  Nays 19, 2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 2968 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 25, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
  committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
  that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
  2968 on May 30, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor