Bill > HB3471

This bill modifies the provisions of the historic infrastructure sustainability trust fund in Texas, which is a special fund designed to generate earnings for maintaining and preserving historic sites. The bill adds the word "improving" to the fund's purpose, allowing the Texas Historical Commission to use distributed funds for not just maintaining and preserving historic sites, but also improving them. The bill maintains strict restrictions on how the funds can be used, explicitly prohibiting their use for salaries, employee benefits, administrative costs, or acquiring new historic sites. The commission must continue to allocate at least one-third of its annual distribution to the historic courthouse preservation program, and any additional distributions require certification to the Legislative Budget Board that the funds will be used in compliance with procurement laws and will not be spent on administrative expenses or unrelated capital equipment. The changes to the law will apply only to distributions requested by the Texas Historical Commission on or after the bill's effective date of September 1, 2025.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB3471