HBA-KDB H.B. 2147 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2147 By: Uher House Administration 66/12/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Texas Legislature hosts two ceremonial days: "governor for a day," to honor a senator for service to the state; and "speaker's reunion day," to honor former members of the house of representatives for service to the state. House Bill 2147 increases the amount of money that a contributor may contribute for the speaker's reunion day ceremony, and authorizes the outstanding balance of the expenditures for the ceremonies to be either distributed to one or more charities or to be placed in an account designed for the exclusive purpose of hosting the ceremonial days. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 2147 amends the Government Code to increase from $100 to $500 the limit of the aggregate cash or value amount that a contributor may contribute to the speaker's reunion day ceremony. The bill provides that the outstanding balance for expenditures for governor for a day and speaker's reunion day ceremonies (ceremonial days) may be either distributed to one or more charities designated by the president pro tempore of the senate or the speaker of the house of representatives, as appropriate, or placed in an account designed for the exclusive purpose of hosting the ceremonial days. The bill requires the outstanding balance, if it is placed in the account for the ceremonial days, to be combined with contributions received for the succeeding governor for a day or speaker's reunion day ceremony, as appropriate, and provides that it may be spent only for purposes reasonably related to conducting the governor for a day or speaker's reunion day ceremonies, including fund-raising. EFFECTIVE DATE May 28, 2001.