FUNDING FOR HISTORIC COURTHOUSE PRESERVATION PROGRAM; HISTORIC COURTHOUSE PRESERVATION FUND ACCOUNT.

(a) The historic courthouse preservation fund account is a separate account in the general revenue fund. The account consists of transfers made to the account, payments on loans made under the historic courthouse preservation program, grants and donations made for the purposes of the historic courthouse preservation program, and income earned on investments of money in the account. Appropriations to the commission for the historic courthouse preservation program shall be deposited to the credit of the account. Notwithstanding Section 404.071, income earned on money in the account shall be deposited to the credit of the account.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (c), the commission may use money in the historic courthouse preservation fund account to provide a grant or loan to a county or municipality that owns a historic courthouse for a historic courthouse project. The grant or loan may be in the amount and according to the terms that the commission by rule shall determine.

(c) The commission may use money in the historic courthouse preservation fund account to provide a loan under the historic courthouse preservation program only to the extent that the legislature provides in the General Appropriations Act that money appropriated to the commission for the program may be used to make loans.

(d) As a condition for providing the money under this section, the commission may require creation of a conservation easement in the property, as provided by Chapter 183, Natural Resources Code, in favor of the state and may require creation of other appropriate covenants in favor of the state. The commission may take any necessary action to enforce repayment of a loan or any other agreements made under this section and Sections 442.0081 and 442.0082.

(e) A grant for a historic courthouse project may not exceed the greater of $10 million or two percent of the amount appropriated for implementing the historic courthouse preservation program during the state fiscal biennium.

(f) Biennial appropriations to the commission for administering the historic courthouse preservation and maintenance programs during a state fiscal biennium, including providing oversight for historic courthouse projects, may not exceed 2-1/2 percent of the amount appropriated for implementing the historic courthouse preservation and maintenance programs during the state fiscal biennium.

(g) The commission by rule may set a limit on the loan amount for a historic courthouse project. This amount may be expressed as a dollar amount or as a percentage of the total amount appropriated for implementing the historic courthouse preservation program during the state fiscal biennium.

(h) The commission may accept a gift, grant, or other donation for the historic courthouse preservation program or a specific historic courthouse project.