The Antiquities Advisory Board makes recommendations to the Texas Historical Commission on issues related to the Antiquities Code of Texas. The Board considers and discusses proposed State Archeological Landmark nominations and permitting issues, including resolution of defaulted permits. The Board meets in conjunction with the THC’s Quarterly Meetings.
Rules for the Antiquities Advisory Board
The following is quoted from the Rules of Practice and Procedure for the Antiquities Code of Texas, Texas Administrative Code, Title 13, Chapter 26, Rule 26.6.
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 commission is authorized to create an Antiquities Advisory Board (hereafter referred to as the board). The board makes recommendations to the commission on issues related to the Antiquities Code of Texas. The board is composed of the following ten membership positions: the governor-appointed professional archeologist, historian, and architect members of the commission, a representative of the Texas Archeological Society (TAS) who is nominated in consultation between TAS and the commission, a representative of the Council of Texas Archeologists (CTA) who is nominated in consultation between CTA and the commission, a state agency archeologist who is nominated in consultation between state agencies that employ archeologists and the commission, two historians nominated by the commission from the discipline of Texas history, and two historic architects nominated by the commission, in consultation with the Texas Society of Architects, from the discipline of historic architecture. The chairman of the board is appointed by the chairman of the commission, from one of the three commission members that serve on the board. The vice chair will be elected each year by the board from within their membership. The non-governor appointed archeologists, historians and historic architects serve two-year terms that expire on February 1, of either odd or even numbered years, as determined by the commission. If the Governor does not appoint a professional archeologist, architect, or historian to the commission, the chairman of the commission will appoint such individuals to serve on the board from either other commission members or the general public. These appointed board members will serve two year terms or until they are replaced by qualified governor-appointed commissioners. The board shall convene immediately prior to each quarterly meeting of the commission 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. All recommendations made by the board are brought to the commission by the board chairman, or one of the other commission members who serve on the board. The board will accomplish its specific duties in the following manner.
(1) Consider and discuss all proposed State Archeological Landmark nominations and any non-adjudicative issues or disputes specifically related to Antiquities Code and associated permitting issues that are brought before them by the commission, or members of the board, or the public.
(2) Function as preliminary mediators for the commission unless otherwise directed by the commission, or refused by a complainant(s).
(3) Vote on final recommendations related to appropriate issues of concern and present those recommendations to the commission.
(4) Conflicts of interest.
(A) Any member of the board who 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. 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 vote on 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;
(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.
