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Senate Bill 1032 |
Senate Author: Kolkhorst |
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Effective: 9-1-23 |
House Sponsor: Hunter |
Senate Bill 1032 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to set out and revise certain guidelines within the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Parks and Wildlife Commission for the management of state oyster beds, including provisions governing the renewal of an oyster certificate of location. Accordingly, the bill redefines "natural oyster bed" as an area with a substrate that is predominantly composed of oyster shell or live oysters and the bill removes a provision excepting an oyster bed or reef, other than a natural oyster bed, that has been exhausted within an eight‑year period from being subject to location by the TPWD, instead authorizing the TPWD to subject a natural oyster bed to such location if it determines that the bed is degraded. Among other provisions, the commission must establish a program to issue certificates of location for the restoration of natural oyster beds, but the bill provides that certain fees, sales and transfers, rental terms, and acreage restrictions related to public and private oyster beds do not apply under this program.