Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

________________________________ BUDGET
77 th Texas Legislature
Provides that the following funds in the state treasury or funds otherwise with the comptroller are recreated
as accounts in the General Revenue Fund and the accounts and the revenue deposited to the credit of the
accounts are exempt from abolition, if created or recreated by an Act of the 77 th Legislature:
• The Rural Water Assistance Fund;
• The Work and Family Policies Fund (recreated);
• The Owner-Builder Revolving Loan Fund;
• The Colonia Model Subdivision Revolving Loan Fund;
• The Smart Jobs Fund;
• The Gas Utility Service Assistance Trust Fund;
• The Barber School Tuition Protection Account created as a trust fund with the comptroller;
• The Spaceport Trust Fund;
• The Quality Assurance Fund;
• The Stabilization Reserve Fund (recreated); and
• Any fund created by S.B. 5 (Air Emissions Reduction Plan) and not otherwise listed in this Act,
other than a trust fund subject to Section 8(a) of this Act.
Re-creates the Pan American Games Trust Fund initially created in the 76 th Legislature and requires the
comptroller to manage the trust fund as an account in the General Revenue Fund and to dedicate revenue
as if the fund was not abolished.
Makes the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund an account in the General Revenue Fund which would
increase the amount available for certification from the General Revenue Fund in the 2002-2003 biennium.
Temporary Transfer of Tobacco Endowment Program Funds - H.B. 3244
by Representative Gallego
Senate Sponsor: Senator Duncan
Current law provides the Texas Department of Health (TDH) with appropriated funds from the interest
proceeds of the emergency medical services and trauma care tobacco endowment. Initially, interest
deposits appropriated for the program were made monthly. However, this was changed to quarterly
deposits during the last fiscal year. Consequently, some grant recipients now wait up to three months for
fund reimbursement, which may present a financial hardship.
Authorizes TDH to direct the comptroller to temporarily transfer money appropriated to TDH to pay an
obligation that TDH is authorized to incur under and for which money is appropriated under the Community
Hospital Capital Improvement Fund, the Permanent Fund for Children and Public Health, the Permanent
Fund for Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Care, and the Permanent Fund for Tobacco Education
and Enforcement if TDH determines that the transfer is necessary for cash management purposes.
Requires TDH, as soon as possible after the transfer, to direct the comptroller to transfer back the
transferred amount.
Senate Research Center 37