Bill Text: TX HB140 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the Texas Leading on Opportunity, Investment, and Economic Stimulus Through Aid and Relief (LONESTAR) Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021; making appropriations and giving direction regarding appropriations.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-10-04 - Referred to Appropriations [HB140 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB140-Introduced.html
| 87S30312 SRA-D | ||
| By: Minjarez | H.B. No. 140 | |
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| relating to the Texas Leading on Opportunity, Investment, and | ||
| Economic Stimulus Through Aid and Relief (LONESTAR) Supplemental | ||
| Appropriations Act of 2021; making appropriations and giving | ||
| direction regarding appropriations. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the Texas | ||
| Leading on Opportunity, Investment, and Economic Stimulus Through | ||
| Aid and Relief (LONESTAR) Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021. | ||
| SECTION 2. COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS: RESTORATION OF | ||
| STATE AGENCY BUDGET REDUCTIONS. (a) The amount of $1,000,000,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the comptroller of public accounts from money | ||
| received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery | ||
| Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue | ||
| Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of | ||
| the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of restoring funding | ||
| to state agencies, as authorized by other law, to make up for | ||
| reductions in appropriated amounts equal to five percent of total | ||
| appropriations made to state agencies from the general revenue fund | ||
| and dedicated accounts in the general revenue fund for the state | ||
| fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, made by Chapter 1353 (H.B. 1), | ||
| Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019 (the General | ||
| Appropriations Act), due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| (b) The comptroller, in consultation with the Legislative | ||
| Budget Board, shall identify the strategies and objectives out of | ||
| which the reductions in amounts appropriated to each state agency | ||
| from the general revenue fund and dedicated accounts in the general | ||
| revenue fund were made and allocate the money appropriated under | ||
| Subsection (a) in a manner that, to the greatest extent | ||
| practicable, restores the amounts appropriated to state agencies | ||
| before the reductions in appropriations occurred. | ||
| SECTION 3. COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS: PREMIUM PAY FOR | ||
| ELIGIBLE WORKERS EMPLOYED BY STATE AGENCIES. (a) In this section, | ||
| "premium pay" and "eligible workers" have the meanings assigned by | ||
| 42 U.S.C. Section 802(g). | ||
| (b) The amount of $1,000,000,000 is appropriated to the | ||
| comptroller of public accounts from money received by this state | ||
| from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section | ||
| 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 | ||
| (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus | ||
| Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning | ||
| September 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing funding for premium | ||
| pay for eligible workers employed by state agencies as authorized | ||
| by other law. | ||
| SECTION 4. TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS: ARTS AND CULTURAL | ||
| GRANTS FOR PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC DAMAGE. The amount of $11,000,000 | ||
| is appropriated to the Texas Commission on the Arts from money | ||
| received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery | ||
| Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue | ||
| Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of | ||
| the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of increasing funding | ||
| for arts and cultural grants authorized by other law to offset | ||
| physical damage caused by hurricanes or winter storms or economic | ||
| damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 5. TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS: ARTS AND CULTURAL | ||
| GRANTS FOR SUMMER EDUCATION. The amount of $10,000,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the Texas Commission on the Arts from money | ||
| received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery | ||
| Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue | ||
| Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of | ||
| the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing funding | ||
| for arts and cultural grants authorized by other law benefiting | ||
| nonprofit organizations that provide summer camps or summer | ||
| education programming for students in this state. | ||
| SECTION 6. TEXAS MUSIC OFFICE, TRUSTEED PROGRAMS WITHIN THE | ||
| OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: MUSIC VENUE AND FESTIVAL REBATES. The | ||
| amount of $10,000,000 is appropriated to the Texas Music Office | ||
| within the Trusteed Programs within the Office of the Governor from | ||
| money received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal | ||
| Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the | ||
| American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited | ||
| to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state | ||
| fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of | ||
| providing funding for rebates for eligible music venues and | ||
| festival promoters to reduce the impact of venue closures and | ||
| social distancing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 7. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR: SMALL BUSINESS DISASTER | ||
| RECOVERY LOANS. The amount of $300,000,000 is appropriated to the | ||
| Office of the Governor from money received by this state from the | ||
| Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) | ||
| established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 | ||
| (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus | ||
| Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning | ||
| September 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing funding for small | ||
| business disaster recovery loans authorized by other law for small | ||
| businesses that experienced physical damage caused by hurricanes or | ||
| winter storms or economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 8. COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS: BROADBAND | ||
| SERVICES. The amount of $3,000,000,000 is appropriated to the | ||
| comptroller of public accounts from money received by this state | ||
| from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section | ||
| 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 | ||
| (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus | ||
| Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning | ||
| September 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing funding for grants, | ||
| loans, and incentives authorized by other law for broadband | ||
| services in areas of the state currently in need of those services. | ||
| SECTION 9. HISTORICAL COMMISSION: MAIN STREET PROGRAM. The | ||
| amount of $2,000,000 is appropriated to the Historical Commission | ||
| from money received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal | ||
| Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the | ||
| American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited | ||
| to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state | ||
| fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of | ||
| providing funding for downtown and main street revitalization | ||
| projects in small and rural municipalities designated as part of | ||
| the Main Street Program, including projects for infrastructure | ||
| improvement, to encourage tourism and economic development in rural | ||
| areas impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 10. DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES: IT LEGACY | ||
| SYSTEMS AND CYBERSECURITY. The amount of $500,000,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the Department of Information Resources from money | ||
| received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery | ||
| Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue | ||
| Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of | ||
| the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of upgrading and | ||
| modernizing state agency information technology (IT) legacy | ||
| systems and cybersecurity enhancements for state agency IT systems. | ||
| SECTION 11. VETERANS COMMISSION: VETERANS ASSISTANCE. The | ||
| amount of $100,000,000 is appropriated to the Veterans Commission | ||
| from money received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal | ||
| Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the | ||
| American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited | ||
| to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state | ||
| fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of | ||
| providing funding for general assistance grants, housing | ||
| assistance grants, treatment court grants, and behavioral health | ||
| assistance grants, as authorized by other law, to assist veterans | ||
| who have been substantially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 12. DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES: | ||
| TEXAS HOME VISITING NURSE PROGRAM AND NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP | ||
| PROGRAM. (a) The amount of $146,800,000 is appropriated to the | ||
| Department of Family and Protective Services from money received by | ||
| this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 | ||
| U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act | ||
| of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the | ||
| Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, to be allocated as follows: | ||
| (1) $71,200,000 to provide funding for the Texas Home | ||
| Visiting Program; and | ||
| (2) $75,600,000 to provide funding for the | ||
| Nurse-Family Partnership Program to expand home visiting. | ||
| (b) To the extent authorized by other law, the Department of | ||
| Family and Protective Services shall coordinate with the Maternal | ||
| Mortality Review Commission and the Office for the Elimination of | ||
| Health Disparities to target the spending of money appropriated by | ||
| Subsection (a) of this section to areas of the state with high | ||
| instances of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity and | ||
| high rates of removal of children from their homes. | ||
| SECTION 13. DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES: | ||
| FOSTER CARE PROVIDER CAPACITY. The amount of $65,800,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the Department of Family and Protective Services | ||
| from money received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal | ||
| Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the | ||
| American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited | ||
| to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state | ||
| fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of | ||
| increasing foster care provider capacity, including through | ||
| temporary rate increases, as authorized by other law. | ||
| SECTION 14. DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES: HIV | ||
| MEDICATION PROGRAM. The amount of $67,000,000 is appropriated to | ||
| the Department of State Health Services from money received by this | ||
| state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 | ||
| U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act | ||
| of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the | ||
| Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing | ||
| additional funding for the HIV Medication Program. | ||
| SECTION 15. DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES: FIREARM | ||
| INJURY PREVENTION RESEARCH. The amount of $10,000,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the Department of State Health Services from money | ||
| received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery | ||
| Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue | ||
| Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of | ||
| the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing funding | ||
| for grants authorized by other law to health-related institutions | ||
| in this state to conduct research into firearm injury prevention. | ||
| To the extent authorized by other law, the department shall | ||
| prioritize those research projects that have received federal | ||
| funding to support the project. | ||
| SECTION 16. DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES: OFFICE FOR | ||
| THE ELIMINATION OF HEALTH DISPARITIES. The amount of $100,000,000 | ||
| is appropriated to the Department of State Health Services from | ||
| money received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal | ||
| Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the | ||
| American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited | ||
| to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state | ||
| fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of | ||
| providing funding for the department's Office for the Elimination | ||
| of Health Disparities to support the office's evidence-based | ||
| initiatives to reduce health conditions contributing to COVID-19 | ||
| mortality, including diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity, and | ||
| smoking. | ||
| SECTION 17. DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES: SURGE | ||
| RESPONSE. The amount of $100,000,000 is appropriated to the | ||
| Department of State Health Services from money received by this | ||
| state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. | ||
| Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 | ||
| (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus | ||
| Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning | ||
| September 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing, in coordination | ||
| with the Texas Division of Emergency Management, grants and | ||
| financial assistance authorized by other law to local and county | ||
| health departments and hospital districts to respond to surges in | ||
| COVID-19 cases and to maintain access to health care services | ||
| during surges in COVID-19 cases. | ||
| SECTION 18. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION: | ||
| POSTPARTUM MEDICAID BENEFITS. The amount of $91,400,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the Health and Human Services Commission from money | ||
| received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery | ||
| Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue | ||
| Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of | ||
| the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of extending maternal | ||
| postpartum Medicaid benefits for an additional six months as | ||
| authorized by other law. | ||
| SECTION 19. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION: MENTAL | ||
| AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT. (a) | ||
| The amount of $928,000,000 is appropriated to the Health and Human | ||
| Services Commission from money received by this state from the | ||
| Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) | ||
| established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. | ||
| No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief | ||
| Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, | ||
| 2021, for the purpose of providing funding for mental and | ||
| behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment. | ||
| (b) Out of money appropriated by Subsection (a) of this | ||
| section, the amount of: | ||
| (1) $50,000,000 may be used only to provide funding | ||
| for evidence-based initiatives for survivors of domestic assault | ||
| and sexual assault authorized by other law; | ||
| (2) $47,200,000 may be used only to reduce the | ||
| substance use treatment waitlist for pregnant women and women with | ||
| children in the manner authorized by other law; | ||
| (3) $10,000,000 may be used only to provide funding | ||
| for a temporary rate increase for substance use treatment services | ||
| in the manner authorized by other law; | ||
| (4) $10,000,000 may be used only to provide funding | ||
| for evidence-based initiatives to reduce opioid addiction in this | ||
| state authorized by other law; and | ||
| (5) $40,000,000 may be used only to support mobile | ||
| crisis services authorized by other law that are available 24 hours | ||
| a day, 7 days a week. | ||
| SECTION 20. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION: MENTAL | ||
| HEALTH INITIATIVES. The amount of $10,000,000 is appropriated to | ||
| the Health and Human Services Commission from money received by | ||
| this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 | ||
| U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act | ||
| of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the | ||
| Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of supporting | ||
| evidence-based initiatives authorized by other law that address | ||
| trauma relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and promote children's | ||
| mental health, including providing proportional rate increases for | ||
| providers, hospitals, rural hospitals, and graduate medical | ||
| institutions with COVID-19 patients and expanding access to mental | ||
| health care and telemedicine. | ||
| SECTION 21. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION: EARLY | ||
| CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION SERVICE PROVIDERS. The amount of | ||
| $81,000,000 is appropriated to the Health and Human Services | ||
| Commission from money received by this state from the Coronavirus | ||
| State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established | ||
| under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and | ||
| deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for | ||
| the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the | ||
| purpose of increasing rates for early childhood intervention | ||
| service providers as authorized by other law. | ||
| SECTION 22. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION: PROVIDERS | ||
| AND HOSPITALS. (a) The amount of $1,000,000,000 is appropriated to | ||
| the Health and Human Services Commission from money received by | ||
| this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 | ||
| U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act | ||
| of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the | ||
| Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing rate | ||
| increases and incentive payments, as authorized by other law, to | ||
| providers and hospitals that have been substantially affected by | ||
| the COVID-19 pandemic to retain and attract staff necessary to | ||
| handle surges in COVID-19 case counts and to maintain access to | ||
| emergency surgeries and to vital, elective, and non-cosmetic | ||
| surgeries. | ||
| (b) To the extent authorized by other law, the commission | ||
| shall collaborate with affected industries to develop a payment | ||
| methodology for incentive payments made from money appropriated by | ||
| Subsection (a) of this section. The methodology must: | ||
| (1) provide for quarterly lump sum payments; | ||
| (2) accurately reflect COVID-19-related costs; and | ||
| (3) prioritize providers and hospitals that have not | ||
| received other federal or state COVID-19 relief funding. | ||
| (c) To receive incentive payments, a provider or hospital | ||
| must submit to the commission quarterly a report of the provider's | ||
| or hospital's COVID-19-related costs. As authorized by other law, a | ||
| provider or hospital that receives an incentive payment from money | ||
| appropriated by Subsection (a) of this section is subject to audit | ||
| by the State Auditor's Office and the Office of the Inspector | ||
| General and the provider or hospital may be required to return a | ||
| payment if an audit demonstrates that fraud, waste, or abuse | ||
| occurred. | ||
| SECTION 23. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, OFFICE OF | ||
| THE INSPECTOR GENERAL: FRAUD INVESTIGATIONS. The amount of | ||
| $5,000,000 is appropriated to the Health and Human Services | ||
| Commission, Office of the Inspector General, from money received by | ||
| this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 | ||
| U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act | ||
| of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the | ||
| Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of increasing | ||
| activities authorized by other law to detect, recoup, and prevent | ||
| instances of fraud, waste, and abuse relating to COVID-19 | ||
| flexibilities in state public benefit programs. | ||
| SECTION 24. TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY: GRANTS TO SCHOOL | ||
| DISTRICTS FOR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND TESTING. The | ||
| amount of $100,000,000 is appropriated to the Texas Education | ||
| Agency from money received by this state from the Coronavirus State | ||
| Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the | ||
| American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited | ||
| to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state | ||
| fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of | ||
| providing grants as authorized by other law to school districts to | ||
| support personal protective equipment acquisition and targeted | ||
| COVID-19 testing for teachers and students. | ||
| SECTION 25. TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY: GRANTS TO SCHOOL | ||
| DISTRICTS FOR ONLINE LEARNING AND ADDRESSING LEARNING | ||
| DEFICIENCIES. The amount of $81,000,000 is appropriated to the | ||
| Texas Education Agency from money received by this state from the | ||
| Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) | ||
| established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. | ||
| No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief | ||
| Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, | ||
| 2021, for the purpose of providing grants as authorized by other law | ||
| to school districts to bolster online learning capabilities and | ||
| address student learning deficiencies resulting from the COVID-19 | ||
| pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 26. HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD: STUDENT | ||
| FINANCIAL EMERGENCIES. (a) The amount of $60,000,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board from | ||
| money received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal | ||
| Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the | ||
| American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited | ||
| to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state | ||
| fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of | ||
| providing grants as authorized by other law to assist undergraduate | ||
| and graduate students to overcome financial emergencies that | ||
| threaten their ability to complete their courses of study. | ||
| (b) A student who receives a grant under Subsection (a) of | ||
| this section: | ||
| (1) must have completed not less than 50 percent of the | ||
| student's coursework; | ||
| (2) must have a passing cumulative grade point | ||
| average; and | ||
| (3) may not be the cause of the financial emergency. | ||
| SECTION 27. HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD: CAREERS IN | ||
| SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, MATHEMATICS, AND ENGINEERING. (a) The amount | ||
| of $100,000,000 is appropriated to the Texas Higher Education | ||
| Coordinating Board from money received by this state from the | ||
| Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) | ||
| established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. | ||
| No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief | ||
| Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, | ||
| 2021, to be distributed as authorized by other law in coordination | ||
| with the Texas Education Agency and Texas Workforce Commission for | ||
| programs at universities and junior colleges to train undergraduate | ||
| and graduate students for careers that contribute to this state's | ||
| future economic and workforce needs with a focus on careers in | ||
| science, technology, mathematics, and engineering fields. | ||
| (b) To the extent authorized by other law, the board shall | ||
| ensure that at least $25,000,000 of the money appropriated by | ||
| Subsection (a) of this section is distributed to programs at | ||
| universities and junior colleges that retrain workers who lost jobs | ||
| in industries severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 28. TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: | ||
| STRATEGIC PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT STOCKPILE. The amount of | ||
| $100,000,000 is appropriated to the Texas Division of Emergency | ||
| Management from money received by this state from the Coronavirus | ||
| State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established | ||
| under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and | ||
| deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for | ||
| the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the | ||
| purpose of establishing and maintaining a strategic personal | ||
| protective equipment and medical supply stockpile for the state | ||
| based on planning required by legislation passed by the 87th | ||
| Legislature as authorized by that legislation. | ||
| SECTION 29. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY: TESTING AND | ||
| PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. The amount of $5,000,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the Department of Public Safety from money received | ||
| by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 | ||
| U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act | ||
| of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the | ||
| Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of providing targeted | ||
| COVID-19 testing and purchasing personal protective equipment for | ||
| law enforcement officers and other public safety employees as | ||
| authorized by other law. | ||
| SECTION 30. SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS: LEGAL REPRESENTATION | ||
| GRANTS FOR EVICTEES. The amount of $10,000,000 is appropriated to | ||
| the Supreme Court of Texas from money received by this state from | ||
| the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) | ||
| established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. | ||
| No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief | ||
| Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, | ||
| 2021, for the purpose of providing, in consultation with the Texas | ||
| Access to Justice Commission and State Bar of Texas, grants | ||
| authorized by other law to provide legal representation for | ||
| individuals facing eviction due to economic effects and other legal | ||
| issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 31. SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS: REDUCTION OF COURT | ||
| BACKLOG. (a) The amount of $20,000,000 is appropriated to the | ||
| Supreme Court of Texas from money received by this state from the | ||
| Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) | ||
| established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. | ||
| No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief | ||
| Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, | ||
| 2021, for the purpose of providing, in coordination with the Office | ||
| of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System, grants | ||
| authorized by other law to courts, counties, and district | ||
| attorneys' offices to reduce court backlogs caused by the COVID-19 | ||
| pandemic. | ||
| (b) To the extent authorized by other law, the grants | ||
| provided under Subsection (a) of this section must be distributed | ||
| proportionally among courts, counties, and district attorneys' | ||
| offices based on the size of the populations served by the | ||
| applicable entity and the size of the backlog of the applicable | ||
| entity. | ||
| SECTION 32. SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS: REDUCTION OF CRIMINAL | ||
| JUSTICE CASE BACKLOG. The amount of $15,000,000 is appropriated to | ||
| the Supreme Court of Texas from money received by this state from | ||
| the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) | ||
| established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. | ||
| No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief | ||
| Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, | ||
| 2021, for the purpose of providing grants authorized by other law to | ||
| support programs that reduce the criminal justice case backlog | ||
| through mental health and drug courts and community supervision and | ||
| diversion programs for low-level, nonviolent first-time offenders. | ||
| SECTION 33. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE: NUTRITIONAL | ||
| PROGRAMS. The amount of $30,000,000 is appropriated to the Texas | ||
| Department of Agriculture from money received by this state from | ||
| the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) | ||
| established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. | ||
| No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief | ||
| Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, | ||
| 2021, for the purpose of supporting food and nutritional programs | ||
| and allocated as follows: | ||
| (1) $20,000,000 for the Texans Feeding Texans - Home | ||
| Delivered Meals Grant Program; and | ||
| (2) $10,000,000 for the Texans Feeding Texans - | ||
| Surplus Agricultural Products Grant Program. | ||
| SECTION 34. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE: DOWNTOWN AND | ||
| MAIN STREET REVITALIZATION PROJECTS. The amount of $2,000,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the Texas Department of Agriculture from money | ||
| received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery | ||
| Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue | ||
| Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of | ||
| the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of supporting downtown | ||
| and main street revitalization projects, including infrastructure | ||
| improvement, in rural municipalities and towns, as authorized by | ||
| other law, to encourage tourism and economic development in rural | ||
| areas affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 35. PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT: DEFERRED | ||
| MAINTENANCE OF STATE PARKS. The amount of $700,000,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the Parks and Wildlife Department from money | ||
| received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery | ||
| Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue | ||
| Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of | ||
| the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of addressing unfunded | ||
| deferred maintenance of state parks. | ||
| SECTION 36. WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD: CLEAN DRINKING WATER | ||
| AND FLOODING AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE. (a) The amount of | ||
| $100,000,000 is appropriated to the Water Development Board from | ||
| money received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal | ||
| Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the | ||
| American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited | ||
| to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state | ||
| fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of | ||
| providing loans and grants and issuing bonds authorized by other | ||
| law to support clean drinking water and flooding and wastewater | ||
| infrastructure. | ||
| (b) To the extent authorized by other law, the board shall | ||
| ensure that at least $25,000,000 of the money appropriated by | ||
| Subsection (a) of this section is used to provide loans and grants | ||
| and issue bonds for economically distressed areas of this state and | ||
| high-risk areas with a substantial need for clean drinking water | ||
| and flooding and wastewater infrastructure. | ||
| SECTION 37. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS: | ||
| AFFORDABLE HOUSING. The amount of $500,000,000 is appropriated to | ||
| the Department of Housing and Community Affairs from money received | ||
| by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 | ||
| U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue Plan Act | ||
| of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the | ||
| Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium | ||
| beginning September 1, 2021, for the purpose of addressing housing | ||
| issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as authorized by other law, | ||
| including by providing access to and availability of safe, | ||
| affordable housing through initiatives that may include new housing | ||
| development, upgrades to infrastructure, and weatherization of | ||
| existing affordable housing units. | ||
| SECTION 38. TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION: CHILD CARE. The | ||
| amount of $5,000,000 is appropriated to the Texas Workforce | ||
| Commission from money received by this state from the Coronavirus | ||
| State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established | ||
| under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and | ||
| deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325 for | ||
| the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2021, for the | ||
| purpose of providing child care to unemployed or recently employed | ||
| caregivers of children to support reentry into the workforce for | ||
| individuals who lost employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 39. COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS: UNEMPLOYMENT | ||
| COMPENSATION FUND. For the two-year period beginning on the | ||
| effective date of this Act, the amount of $4,500,000,000 is | ||
| appropriated to the comptroller of public accounts from money | ||
| received by this state from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery | ||
| Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) established under the American Rescue | ||
| Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of | ||
| the Coronavirus Relief Fund No. 325, for deposit to the credit of | ||
| the unemployment compensation fund under Section 203.021, Labor | ||
| Code, for the purpose of paying back outstanding advances received | ||
| by this state under Section 1201, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. | ||
| Section 1321), and returning the unemployment compensation fund to | ||
| the statutory floor computed under Section 204.061, Labor Code, on | ||
| October 1, 2021, as reimbursement for payments made as a result of | ||
| the coronavirus disease pandemic. | ||
| SECTION 40. APPROPRIATION: ELECTRICAL GRID IMPROVEMENTS. | ||
| The amount of $1,000,000,000 is appropriated to the Public | ||
| Utilities Commission from money received by this state from the | ||
| Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund (42 U.S.C. Section 802) | ||
| established under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. | ||
| No. 117-2) and deposited to the credit of the Coronavirus Relief | ||
| Fund No. 325 for the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, | ||
| 2021, for the purpose of providing, in coordination with the | ||
| Railroad Commission of Texas, Electric Reliability Council of | ||
| Texas, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Division of | ||
| Emergency Management, Texas Electric Supply Chain Security and | ||
| Mapping Committee, and Texas Energy Reliability Council, funding | ||
| for grants, loans, and incentives authorized by other law to | ||
| support electrical grid and infrastructure weatherization, | ||
| hardening, resiliency, and improvements, with a focus on projects | ||
| that do not increase energy bills and taxes paid by homeowners and | ||
| businesses. | ||
| SECTION 41. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. Each state agency to | ||
| which money is appropriated under this Act shall submit to the | ||
| governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of | ||
| representatives, members of the Senate Finance Committee, and | ||
| members of the House Appropriations Committee each quarter any | ||
| report the agency is required to submit to the United States | ||
| secretary of the treasury in accordance with 42 U.S.C. Section | ||
| 802(d)(2). | ||
| SECTION 42. USE OF MONEY FOR BORDER WALL PROHIBITED. Money | ||
| appropriated by this Act may not be used to construct, renovate, | ||
| maintain, or otherwise facilitate the construction or maintenance | ||
| of a wall, fence, or other barrier on public or private land along | ||
| the United States' international border with Mexico. | ||
| SECTION 43. Section 17.16, Article IX, Chapter 1053 (S.B. | ||
| 1), Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021 (the | ||
| General Appropriations Act), is repealed. | ||
| SECTION 44. This Act takes effect immediately. | ||
