BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 430
88R1429 SGM-D	By: VanDeaver (Perry)
	Local Government
	5/15/2023
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The chief of a volunteer fire department in a small community had applied for several years to receive surplus fire equipment from the rural volunteer fire department assistance program administered by the Texas A&M Forest Service (forest service). The department owned a tanker truck, called a "tender," that was over 40 years old, but its application for surplus property was never approved. Research on this issue showed that the forest service did not consider the age of equipment as a factor in rating applications. The chief was concerned that at some point the tender would spring a leak, which eventually happened in 2022. H.B. 430 seeks to prevent similar problems like this from occurring by providing for the inclusion of the age of a department's equipment as a factor for assistance under the program.

H.B. 430 amends current law relating to the criteria and qualifications for distributions under the rural volunteer fire department assistance program.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 614.102(c), Government Code, as follows:

(c) Requires the director of the Texas Forest Service of the Texas A&M University System to take certain actions, in determining certain reasonable criteria and qualifications for the distribution of money from the volunteer fire department assistance fund, to include the age of the equipment used by the department.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2023.