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

1. (1) Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. Means the grant or loan program created by the enactment of HB 1341 by the 76th Texas Legislature (1999).
2. (2) The Courthouse Fund Account. Means a separate account in the general revenue funds. The account consists of transfers made to the account, payment on loans made under the historic courthouse preservation program, grants and donations received for the purposes of the historic courthouse preservation program, and income earned on investments of money in the account.
3. (3) Texas Courthouse Preservation Program Advisory Committee. Means a committee that serves the commission in matters concerning the courthouse program.
4. (4) Historic courthouse. Means a county courthouse that is at least 50 years old prior to the date of application, with the initial date of service defined as the date of the first official commissioners court meeting in the building.
5. (5) Historic courthouse project. Means an undertaking to preserve or restore a historic courthouse.

6. (6) Historic courthouse structure. Means a courthouse structure that is one or more of the following:

   1. (A) a county courthouse that is at least 50 years old prior to the date of application, with the initial date of service defined as the date of the first official commissioners court meeting in the building.
   2. (B) listed on the National Register of Historic Places;
   3. (C) designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark;
   4. (D) designated a State Archeological Landmark;
   5. (E) determined by the commission to qualify as an eligible property under the designations noted above;
   6. (F) certified by the commission to other state agencies as worthy of preservation; or,
   7. (G) designated by an ordinance of a municipality with a population of more than 1.5 million as historic.
7. (7) Master preservation plan or master plan. Means a comprehensive planning document that includes the historical background of a courthouse, as well as a detailed analysis of its architectural integrity, current condition, and future needs for preservation. The commission shall promulgate specific guidelines for developing the document.
8. (8) Restoration. Means the act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restored period. (As defined by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (1995 edition, or as revised)).
9. (9) Reconstruction. Means the act or process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time and in its historic location. (As defined by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (1995 edition, or as revised)).
10. (10) Preservation. Means the act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of a historic property. (As defined by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (1995 edition, or as revised)).
11. (11) Rehabilitation. Means the act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features which convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values. (As defined by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (1995 edition, or as revised)).
12. (12) Match requirement. Means the percentage of the total grant project cost that must be provided by a county in the form of a prior capital expenditures match, prior in-kind match, current cash match, current in- kind match, or planning match.
13. (13) Prior capital expenditures match. Means monies previously spent by a county for past courthouse preservation projects in the 30-month period prior to the date of application.
14. (14) Prior in-kind match. Means materials donated to a county for past courthouse preservation projects in the 30-month period prior to the date of application.
15. (15) Current cash match. Means monies to be paid by a county as part of the preservation project described in a current request for grant or loan funding.
16. (16) Current in-kind match. Materials to be donated as part of the preservation project described in a current request for grant or loan funding.
17. (17) Planning match. Means monies spent on an approved master preservation plan.

Source Note:The provisions of this §12.5 adopted to be effective October 31, 1999, 24 TexReg 9277.