TITLE 13.CULTURAL RESOURCES

Part 2. TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION

Chapter 19. TEXAS MAIN STREET PROJECT

13 TAC §§19.1 - 19.8

(Editor's note: The text of the following sections proposed for repeal will not be published. The sections may be examined in the offices of the Texas Historical Commission or in the Texas Register office, Room 245, James Earl Rudder Building, 1019 Brazos Street, Austin.)

The Texas Historical Commission (hereafter referred to as the Commission) proposes the repeal of §§19.1 - 19.8 of Chapter 19 (Title 13, Part 2 of the Texas Administrative Code) concerning the Texas Main Street Project. New §§19.1 - 9.5 will replace the repealed sections and they are contemporaneously proposed in this issue of the Texas Register .

The repeal of these sections are being proposed in an effort to update and modify existing rules associated with the Texas Main Street Project.

F. Lawerence Oaks, Executive Director, has determined that for the first five-year period the repeals are in effect there will be no fiscal implications for state or local government as a result of enforcing or administering the repeals.

Mr. Oaks has also determined that the public benefit for the first five year period the repeals will be in effect is the administrative efficiency created by removing obsolete provisions from the Texas Administrative Code. There will be no effect on small businesses or individuals who are required to comply with the repeals as proposed.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to F. Lawerence Oaks, Executive Director, Texas Historical Commission, P.O. Box 12276, Austin, Texas 78711. Comments will be accepted for 30 days after publication in the Texas Register .

The repeals are proposed under §442.005(q), Title 4, Chapter 442 of the Texas Government Code, which provides the Texas Historical Commission with the authority to promulgate rules and conditions to reasonably effect the purposes of this chapter.

These repeals implement §442.014 of the Texas Government Code.

§19.1.Administration of the Project.

§19.2.The Interagency Council.

§19.3.Processing Applications for Designation as Main Street Cities.

§19.4.Qualification as a Self-initiated Main Street City.

§19.5.Assistance To Be Provided Qualifying Self-initiated Main Street Cities.

§19.6.Qualification as an Urban Main Street Program.

§19.7.Assistance To Be Provided to Qualifying Urban Main Street Cities.

§19.8.Assistance To Be Provided to Qualifying Self-initiated Urban Main Street Cities.

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 14, 2005.

TRD-200500685

F. Lawerence Oaks

Executive Director

Texas Historical Commission

Earliest possible date of adoption: April 3, 2005

For further information, please call: (512) 463-1858


Chapter 19. TEXAS MAIN STREET PROGRAM

13 TAC §§19.1 - 19.5

The Texas Historical Commission (hereafter referred to as the Commission) proposes the creation of new §§19.1 - 19.5 of Chapter 19 (Title 13, Part 2 of the Texas Administrative Code) concerning the Texas Main Street Program.

The creation of these new sections is an effort to thoroughly update and modify existing rules associated with the Texas Main Street Program. The existing rules have been in effect for many years with few revisions and have been augmented over the years as the program has developed. The existing rules contain information that is inaccurate and outdated and were not straightforward and easy to understand. It was apparent that the rules needed to be revisited and rewritten in a comprehensive way so that they better complied with the format of Texas Historical Commission rules. The proposed new rules address the manner in which the program operates in a clear and concise fashion. Section 19.1 provides that the purpose of the Main Street Program is to provide assistance to Texas Main Street cities. Section 19.2 provides that a system exists by which the Commission may designate and provide assistance to Texas Main Street cities. Section 19.3 provides for definitions used in the rules to explain the different types of programs within the Texas Main Street Program as well as other definitions relating to the program. Section 19.4 provides for the application process and review as well as selection of Texas Main Street cities. Section 19.5 provides for the assistance rendered to Texas Main Street cities and any fees that may be associated with this assistance.

F. Lawerence Oaks, Executive Director, has determined that for the first five-year period the new rules are in effect there will be no fiscal implications for state or local government as a result of enforcing or administering the new rules.

Mr. Oaks has also determined that for each year of the first five year period the new rules are in effect the public benefit anticipated will be an increased efficiency and effectiveness in the implementation of the Texas Administrative Code. There will be no effect on small businesses or individuals required to comply with the new rules as proposed.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to F. Lawerence Oaks, Executive Director, Texas Historical Commission, P.O. Box 12276, Austin, Texas 78711. Comments will be accepted for 30 days after publication in the Texas Register .

The new rules are proposed under §442.005(q), Title 4, Chapter 442 of the Texas Government Code, which provides the Texas Historical Commission with the authority to promulgate rules and conditions to reasonably effect the purposes of this chapter.

No other statutes, articles, or codes are affected by the new rules.

§19.1.Object.

(a) The Texas Historical Commission (Commission) is specifically empowered to designate and provide assistance to Texas cities through the Texas Main Street Program.

(b) The mission of the Texas Main Street Center is to assist Texas communities in the preservation and revitalization of historic downtowns and commercial neighborhood districts in accordance with the National Main Street Four Point Approach of organization, economic restructuring, design, and promotion.

§19.2.Scope.

These rules provide a system by which the Commission may designate and provide service to Texas Main Street cities. All applications, designations, and services shall comply with these rules.

§19.3.Definitions.

When used in this chapter, the following words or terms have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) Texas Main Street Program--A program of the Texas Historical Commission in which designated Texas Main Street cities receive assistance for their historic, commercial buildings.

(2) Texas Main Street City--Any city that has been officially designated by the Texas Historical Commission as a participant in the Texas Main Street Program.

(3) Texas Main Street Small City--Main Street city with population of 50,000 people or fewer.

(4) Texas Main Street Urban City--Main Street city with population greater than 50,000 people.

(5) Texas Main Street Provisional City--A Main Street city of any size that is not accepted upon first application submittal may participate provisionally in the program, upon invitation, while application is resubmitted the following year.

(6) Texas Main Street Recertified City--A city that was formerly in the program that has reapplied and been accepted to be a Main Street City.

(7) Main Street Interagency Council--A council that evaluates and ranks Main Street applications and makes recommendations to the Commission. The composition of the Main Street Interagency Council is determined by the Commission.

§19.4.Application to the Program.

(a) Application to the program. Applications to the program are due annually on the last working day of July or other dates established by the Commission.

(b) Eligibility. Cities with population of 50,000 or fewer may apply to the Main Street Program. Cities with population of 50,001 or greater may apply to the Urban Main Street Program. A city of not more than 65,000 in population that considers that it should qualify as a small city may apply to the Commission to be considered as a small city. If the Commission determines that the city has shown good cause to be considered as a small city, it may allow the city to be designated as a Main Street city under the rules for small cities. Cities of any population that are not accepted upon the first application may be invited by the Commission to participate in the Provisional Main Street Program.

(c) Qualifications. Applications must demonstrate an acceptable amount of historic commercial buildings, public sector support, community and private sector support and meet any other requirements outlined in the application guidelines.

(d) Application guidelines. The Commission shall determine the exact application guidelines and requirements each year and make them available to cities in advance of the application deadline.

(e) Review of Applications. The Main Street Interagency Council shall review applications for designation as official Texas Main Street cities. Recommendations from the Interagency Council and staff are forwarded to the Commission for final selection.

(f) Official selection. The Commission shall select Texas Main Street cities by vote at a meeting of the Commission. Up to five cities per year may be selected, subject to available resources.

(g) Cities not selected. Cities not selected will be so notified in writing by the state coordinator of the Texas Main Street Program. Such cities will be given an evaluation of their application and reasons they were not selected upon request.

§19.5.Assistance Provided.

(a) Training. Each new Main Street City will receive at no charge basic training for their Main Street manager at the beginning of the program. All new Main Street boards will receive at no charge comprehensive board training at the beginning of their city's Main Street Program. Additional training and continuing education is available throughout a city's participation in the Texas Main Street Program.

(b) Technical assistance. Each Texas Main Street City receives technical assistance and training in the areas of design, economic restructuring, promotion and organization.

(c) Main Street network. Each Texas Main Street City is eligible to receive Texas Main Street publications and participate in Texas Main Street networking opportunities.

(d) Fees. Main Street small cities and provisional cities will pay a fee for participation beyond the initial three years. Urban cities will pay a fee for participation in the program. The amount of the fee is determined by the Commission.

(e) Main Street Status. In order to remain a Texas Main Street City, the community must be certified on an annual basis by the Texas Main Street office in Austin to confirm that the community meets all of the requirements for designation.

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 14, 2005.

TRD-200500686

F. Lawerence Oaks

Executive Director

Texas Historical Commission

Earliest possible date of adoption: April 3, 2005

For further information, please call: (512) 463-1858


Chapter 29. MANAGEMENT AND CARE OF ARTIFACTS AND COLLECTIONS

13 TAC §29.6

The Texas Historical Commission (hereafter referred to as the Commission) proposes amendments to §29.6 of Title 13, Part 2, Chapter 29 of the Texas Administrative Code, relating to the management and care of artifacts and collections, gathered under the jurisdiction of Texas Government Code Chapter 442 and the Antiquities Code of Texas (Title 9, Chapter 191, of the Texas Natural Resources Code). The amendment will allow a curatorial facility that has submitted an application for certification to the Commission prior to December 31, 2005 to continue to accept held in trust collections after that date, so long as the application is pending.

These amendments are needed in a continuing effort by the Commission to assist and encourage curatorial facilities to upgrade their care of state associated collections that are gathered under the jurisdiction of the Antiquities Code of Texas.

F. Lawerence Oaks, Executive Director, has determined that for the first five-year period the rule is in effect, there may be fiscal implications for state and local governments as a result of administering the rule. Curatorial facilities that voluntarily choose to become certified may have additional costs for curating state-associated collections. These costs would likely be passed on to state and local governmental entities required to curate collections at certified facilities. Due to the fact that certification is a voluntary process and any additional costs would be subject to the discretion of the individual curatorial facility, it is not possible to estimate the exact costs.

Mr. Oaks has also determined that for each year of the first five-year period the rule is in effect the public benefit anticipated as a result of the implementation of the rule will be improved inventory and accountability for state-owned collections, better care for artifacts, and increased security for collections. There may be economic effects on small businesses or micro-businesses, and members of the public who are required to comply with the rule as proposed, but these costs cannot be estimated.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to F. Lawerence Oaks, Executive Director, Texas Historical Commission, P.O. Box 12276, Austin, Texas 78711. Comments will be accepted for 30 days after publication in the Texas Register .

The amendments are proposed under both §442.005(q), Title 13, Part 2 of the Texas Government Code and §191.052, Title 9, Chapter 191 of the Texas Natural Resources Code, which provides the Commission with the authority to promulgate rules and conditions to reasonably effect the purposes of this chapter.

No other statutes, articles or codes are affected by the amendments.

§29.6.Certification of Curatorial Facilities for State-Associated Held-in-Trust Collections.

(a) Establishment of certification program.

(1) - (3) (No change.)

(4) Except as provided in paragraph (9) of this subsection, no [ No ] collection or any component of a collection as described under the jurisdiction of this subchapter may be placed in a curatorial facility that is not certified through the process established by this section.

(5) - (8) (No change.)

(9) A curatorial facility that has submitted the application for certification provided by subsection (b)(1) of this section by the date provided in subsection (a)(3) of this section may continue to accept held-in-trust collections after that date so long as its application is pending and the application process has not been terminated or its application rejected by the commission.

(b) - (e) (No change.)

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on February 14, 2005.

TRD-200500684

F. Lawerence Oaks

Executive Director

Texas Historical Commission

Earliest possible date of adoption: April 3, 2005

For further information, please call: (512) 463-1858