BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 623

By: Morales, Eddie

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are reports of a Chinese company seeking to build a wind farm in close proximity to Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio. H.B. 623 seeks to add an additional layer of regulation for wind farms within Val Verde County by authorizing the county to designate appropriate locations to install wind-powered emergency devices in unincorporated areas of the county, prohibiting such installations outside those areas, and requiring those areas to maintain compatibility with military facility activities.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 623 amends the Local Government Code to authorize the commissioners court of a county that is located adjacent to an international border and in which a military aviation facility that trains military personnel to pilot aircraft and a national recreation area are located, in collaboration with the military aviation facility located in the county, to do the following by order:

· designate one or more appropriate locations for a person to install a wind-powered energy device in the unincorporated area of the county; and

· prohibit the installation of a wind-powered energy device in the county in an area other than a designated area.

The bill excludes from the application of such a commissioners court order a wind-powered energy device installed before the order's effective date and requires the areas designated by the county to maintain compatibility with the activities of the military aviation facility.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.