2023 Texas Statutes › Government Code › Title 3 - Legislative Branch › Subtitle C - Legislative Agencies and Oversight Committees › Chapter 325 - Sunset Law › Section 325.017. Procedure After Termination

Sec. 325.017.  PROCEDURE AFTER TERMINATION.  (a)  A state agency that is abolished in an odd-numbered year may continue in existence until September 1 of the following year to conclude its business.  Unless the law provides otherwise, abolishment does not reduce or otherwise limit the powers and authority of the state agency during the concluding year.  A state agency is terminated and shall cease all activities at the expiration of the one-year period.  Unless the law provides otherwise, all rules that have been adopted by the state agency expire at the expiration of the one-year period.
(b)  Any unobligated and unexpended appropriations of an abolished agency or advisory committee lapse on September 1 of the even-numbered year after abolishment.
(c)  Except as provided by Subsection (f) or as otherwise provided by law, all money in a dedicated fund of an abolished state agency or advisory committee on September 1 of the even-numbered year after abolishment is transferred to the General Revenue Fund.  The part of the law dedicating the money to a specific fund of an abolished agency becomes void on September 1 of the even-numbered year after abolishment.
(d)  Unless the law or a rider in the General Appropriations Act provides otherwise, an abolished state agency or advisory committee funded in the General Appropriations Act for both years of the biennium may not spend or obligate any of the money appropriated to it for the second year of the biennium.
(e)  Unless the governor designates an appropriate state agency as prescribed by Subsection (f), property and records in the custody of an abolished state agency or advisory committee on September 1 of the even-numbered year after abolishment shall be transferred to the comptroller.  If the governor designates an appropriate state agency, the property and records shall be transferred to the designated state agency.
(f)  The legislature recognizes the state's continuing obligation to pay bonded indebtedness and all other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations, incurred by a state agency abolished under this chapter, and this chapter does not impair or impede the payment of bonded indebtedness and all other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations, in accordance with their terms.  If an abolished state agency has outstanding bonded indebtedness or other outstanding obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations, the bonds and all other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations, remain valid and enforceable in accordance with their terms and subject to all applicable terms and conditions of the laws and proceedings authorizing the bonds and all other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations.  The governor shall designate an appropriate state agency that shall continue to carry out all covenants contained in the bonds and in all other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations, and the proceedings authorizing them, including the issuance of bonds, and the performance of all other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations, to complete the construction of projects or the performance of other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations.  The designated state agency shall provide payment from the sources of payment of the bonds in accordance with the terms of the bonds and shall provide payment from the sources of payment of all other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations, in accordance with their terms, whether from taxes, revenues, or otherwise, until the bonds and interest on the bonds are paid in full and all other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations, are performed and paid in full.  If the proceedings so provide, all funds established by laws or proceedings authorizing the bonds or authorizing other obligations, including lease, contract, and other written obligations, shall remain with the comptroller or the previously designated trustees.  If the proceedings do not provide that the funds remain with the comptroller or the previously designated trustees, the funds shall be transferred to the designated state agency.
(g)  Except as provided by Subsections (a), (e), and (f), all legal interests of a state agency abolished in an odd-numbered year are transferred to the comptroller on the date the state agency is terminated under Subsection (a).
(h)  On the date a state agency that is abolished in an odd-numbered year is terminated under Subsection (a), the governor may designate another state agency to administer any law previously administered by the abolished state agency that remains in effect and a reference in any law to the abolished state agency means the designated state agency.  The governor is not required to designate the same state agency under this subsection that is designated under Subsection (f).
Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 479, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.  Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 582, Sec. 13, eff. Sept. 1, 1991;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1423, Sec. 8.05, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 639, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 928 (H.B. 3249), Sec. 1.10, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 937 (H.B. 3560), Sec. 1.44, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 850 (S.B. 713), Sec. 8.02, eff. June 16, 2021.