Sec. 442.0081.  HISTORIC COURTHOUSE PRESERVATION AND MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS;  GRANTS AND LOANS.  (a)  The commission shall administer a historic courthouse preservation program.
(b)  A county or municipality that owns a historic courthouse may apply to the commission for a grant or loan for a historic courthouse project.  The application must:
(1)  state the location of the courthouse;
(2)  state whether the courthouse is or is likely to become a historic structure;
(3)  state the amount of money or in-kind contributions that the county or municipality promises to contribute to the project;
(4)  state whether the courthouse is currently functioning as a courthouse;
(5)  include any plans, including a master preservation plan, that the county or municipality may have for the project; and
(6)  include any other information that the commission by rule may require.
(c)  The commission may grant or loan money to a county or municipality that owns a historic courthouse, for the purpose of preserving or restoring the courthouse, if the county's or municipality's application meets the standards of the historic courthouse preservation program.  In considering whether to grant an application, the commission shall consider the preferences and factors listed in this section as well as any other factors that it may provide by rule.
(d)  In considering whether to grant an application, the commission shall give preference to:
(1)  a proposed project to preserve or restore a courthouse:
(A)  that is or is likely to become a historic structure; and
(B)  that:
(i)  is still functioning as a courthouse;
(ii)  was built before 1875; or
(iii)  is subject to a conservation easement held by the commission; and
(2)  a county or municipality that will provide or has provided at least 15 percent of the project's costs, including:
(A)  in-kind contributions; and
(B)  previous expenditures for master planning and renovations on the courthouse that are the subject of the application.
(e)  In considering whether to grant an application, the commission shall also consider the following factors:
(1)  the amount of money available for a grant or loan and the percentage of the costs that the county or municipality will contribute;
(2)  whether the county or municipality will contribute any in-kind contribution such as labor or materials;
(3)  the cost to preserve or restore the courthouse;
(4)  the architectural style of the courthouse;
(5)  the historic significance of the courthouse;
(6)  the county's or municipality's master preservation plan;
(7)  the county's or municipality's local funding capacity as measured by the total taxable value of properties in the county or municipality, as applicable; and
(8)  any other factors that the commission by rule may provide.
(f)  The commission shall adopt rules regarding the way in which it will consider the following factors in analyzing a county's or municipality's contribution to project costs under Subsection (d)(2):
(1)  the period during which past expenditures can be considered;
(2)  the amount of past expenditures that can be considered; and
(3)  the amount and type of in-kind contributions that can be considered.
(g)  Repealed by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 178 (H.B. 1422), Sec. 12(1), eff. September 1, 2019.
(g-1)  To help protect courthouses that have benefited from the historic courthouse preservation program, the commission shall develop and implement a maintenance program to assist counties and municipalities receiving money under the preservation program in continuing to maintain, repair, and preserve the courthouses.  The maintenance program may include offering to periodically inspect the courthouses and offering counties and municipalities technical assistance and information on best practices in maintaining the courthouses.
(h)  The commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement the historic courthouse preservation and maintenance programs.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 403, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by: 
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 646 (H.B. 2902), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 646 (H.B. 2902), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1100 (H.B. 3674), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 178 (H.B. 1422), Sec. 12(1), eff. September 1, 2019.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 424 (S.B. 496), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.