BILL ANALYSIS



C.S.H.B. 1480
By: Patterson
02-28-95
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND

Under Section 201.152 of the Agriculture Code, a county may
contribute funds to a soil and water conservation district for
the district to use in matching all or part of funds received
from the state for use in soil conservation and flood control
programs. However, the language in this section has misled some
counties and other political subdivisions such as cities,
drainage districts, and water control and improvement districts,
to believe that they are restricted from contributing funds to
water conservation districts unless there are state funds
available for matching their donations. A soil and water
conservation district may not receive  more than $3,200 per year
from the state for administering its programs and may not always
have adequate funding for matching donations. These
misinterpretations have kept some political subdivisions from
contributing available funding to soil conservation and flood
control programs that could benefit an entire community.  

C.S.H.B. 1480 provides language to clear up misinterpretations
that funds may not be contributed to a conservation district
unless those funds are matched by the state. The bill would allow
counties and political subdivisions to have discretionary
authority over the amount and purpose of the funds they have
contributed to soil conservation districts even if the district
does not have matching state funds.


PURPOSE

The purpose of this legislation is to allow a county or any other
political subdivision to contribute funds to a soil and water
conservation district regardless of available matching state
funds. 


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.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 201.152(c), Agriculture Code.  Permits
all political subdivisions to contribute funds to a conservation
district for the acquisition, construction and/or maintenance of
flood control improvements as well as soil conservation and flood
control programs. Sets forth that these contributed funds may be
used to match funds received from the state.

SECTION 2.  Effective date. This Act takes effect September 1,
1995.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause. 


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The substitute, drafted by the Legislative Council, does not
change the substance of the original bill which was not a draft
of the Legislative Council.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

H.B. 1480 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on
Tuesday, February 28, 1995.

The committee considered a complete substitute for the bill.

The substitute was adopted without objection.

The bill was reported favorably as substituted, with the
recommendation that it do pass and be printed and be sent to the
Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, by a record vote of 8
ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, 1 absent.

The following person testified neutrally on H.B. 1480:

     Mr. Bob Buckley representing the Texas Soil and Water
Conservation Board.