TITLE cultural-resources

Part II. Texas Historical Commission

Chapter 26. Practice and Procedure

13 TAC §26.6

The Texas Historical Commission (THC) proposes amendments to §26.6 concerning the Antiquities Advisory Board. These changes are needed to clarify the responsibilities, conflicts of interest, and term limitations of Antiquities Advisory Board members. They also provide a new structure for the Antiquities Advisory Board that will assist the THC by expanding the board's membership to include more expertise in the fields of history and historic architecture on the board.

F. Lawerence Oaks, Executive Director of the THC, has determined that for the first five-year period the rule is in effect there should be no fiscal implications for state or local government as a result of enforcing or administering the proposed rule amendments.

Mr. Oaks has also determined that for each year of the first five-year period the rules are in effect, the public benefit anticipated as a result of administering the proposed rule amendments will assist the Antiquities Advisory Board due to fewer turnovers in the membership of the board, and by insuring broader diversity of concerns on the board. There should be no effect on small businesses, and there should also be no fiscal implications for private citizens, due to these amendments.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to Dr. James E. Bruseth, of the Texas Historical Commission, Archeology Division, P. O. Box 12276, Austin, Texas 78711. Comments will be accepted for 30 days after publication in the Texas Register . Any questions regarding these proposed amendments should be directed to Mark H. Denton, at the same address, or by calling (512) 463-5711.

The amendments are proposed under §442.005(q), Title 13 Part II of the Texas Government Code, and §191.052 of the Texas Natural Resources 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 statues, articles, or codes are affected by these amendments.

These rule amendments implement §442.005(b) of the Texas Government Code and §191.051 of the Texas Natural Resources Code.

§26.6. Antiquities Advisory Board.

As provided for by the 74th Texas Legislature, within Section 442.005(r) of the Government Code of Texas (relating to the statutes of the Texas Historical Commission), the committee is authorized to create an Antiquities Advisory Board (hereafter referred to as the board). The board will make recommendations to the committee on issues related to the Antiquities Code of Texas, and the chairman of the board will be appointed by the Chairman of the committee, from either [ will be chaired by ] the Governor-appointed professional archeologist, historian, or architect members [ member ] of the Texas Historical Commission [ ,and will make recommendations to the committee on issues related to the Antiquities Code of Texas ]. The Vice Chair will be elected each year by the board from within their membership. The board will also be composed of the following nine [ six ] membership positions: a [ the ] representative of the Texas Archeological Society who is nominated in consultation between TAS and the committee, a representative [ ,the president ] of the Council of Texas Archeologists who is nominated in consultation between CTA and the committee , a state agency archeologist who is nominated in consultation between state agencies that employ archeologists and the committee, two historians nominated by the committee from the disciplines of Texas history, two historic architects nominated by the committee from the disciplines of historic architecture, [ a contract archeologist, ] the Governor-appointed professional archeologist, historian, and architect members [ member ] of the [ Texas Historical Commission, and the Governor-appointed professional historian member of the ] Texas Historical Commission. [ The contract archeologist, will be appointed by the committee, and will serve one three year term that expires on February 1. The board will provide nominations to the committee for the selection of the contract archeologist position. ] The non-governor appointed archeologists, historians, and historic architects, [ state agency archeologist, ] will all serve [ a ] two [ one ] year terms [ term ] that expire [ expires ] on February 1, of either odd or even numbered years as determined by the committee [ and the appointment must rotate between the state agencies that have staff archeologists ]. If the Governor does not appoint a professional archeologist, architect, or [ and ] historian to the Texas Historical Commission, the committee will appoint such individuals to the board and they will serve for a term of two years or until replaced by a Governor-appointee(s). Specific duties of the board include providing recommendations on proposed State Archeological Landmark designations, and in resolving disputes regarding the issuance of Texas Antiquities Permits. The board shall convene immediately prior to each quarterly meeting of the committee unless otherwise requested by the board chair, and board meetings shall conform to the Texas Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code and the Administrative Procedure Act, Texas Government Code 2001. The recommendations of the board will be brought to the committee by the board chair and/or one of the other committee members who serves on the board and whose area of expertise is related to the subject under consideration. The board will accomplish their specific duties in the following manner.

(1)

Consider and discuss all proposed State Archeological Landmark designations, and any non-adjudicative issues or dispute related to Antiquities Permit issuance that are brought before them by the committee, Archeology Division [ Department of Antiquities Protection ] or Division of Architecture staff, members of the board, or the public.

(2)

Function as preliminary mediators for the committee unless otherwise directed by the committee, or refused by a complainant(s).

(3)

Vote on final recommendations related to appropriate issues of concern, and present those recommendations to the committee.

(4)

Conflicts of interest.

(A)

Any member of the board who [ that ] has a conflict of interest related to an issue that comes before the board shall recuse himself/herself from voting and participating in the discussion on that issue. [ A member of the Board who has a conflict of interest may respond to questions directed to them by seated members of the Board. ] Prior to any deliberations concerning the issue in which a member of the Board has a conflict of interest, the member with a conflict shall announce, for the record, that such a conflict exists and physically absent and recuse himself/herself from the decision-making process and not [ neither ] vote on [directly, in absentia, nor by proxy in ] that matter. Board minutes must indicate which member recused himself/herself and the reason(s) for the recusal.

(B)

For the purpose of these rules a conflict of interest would result if a vote by a member of the Board is likely to result in a financial benefit or personal gain for the following individuals:

(i)

the member of the board;

(ii)

any person of the member's immediate family, which includes spouse and any minor children; or

(iii)

a business partner of the member; or

(iv)

any organization for profit in which the member, or any person of clauses (ii) and (iii) of this subparagraph, that is serving or is about to serve as an officer, director, trustee, partner, or employee. A financial benefit includes, but is not limited to, grant money, contract, subcontract, royalty, commission, contingency, brokerage fee, gratuity, favor, or any other things of real or potential value.

(5)

The Board shall follow parliamentary authority according to Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, except where specifically provided for otherwise in these rules.

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 May 17, 1999.

TRD-9902857

F. Lawerence Oaks

Executive Director

Texas Historical Commission

Earliest possible date of adoption: July 4, 1999

For further information, please call: (512) 463-5711