PUC C.S.S.B. 595 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


STATE RECREATIONAL RESOURCES
C.S.S.B. 595
By: Ratliff (Patterson, L.P. "Pete")
5-7-97
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND 

Currently, Cooper Lake State Park is open in an effort to boost economic
development in and around Delta County.  As the U.S. House of
Representatives closed session in the fall of 1996, Congress approved
changing the lake's name to Jim Chapman Lake in honor of retiring
Congressman Jim Chapman.  Citizens of the towns of Cooper and Delta County
are concerned that the name change will take away the city of Cooper's
identity to the lake and will not represent the number of years the
citizens have dedicated to keeping the lake.  S.B. 595 prohibits the Texas
Department of Parks and Wildlife from renaming the state park and
prohibits the Texas Department of Transportation from changing any sign
that refers to Cooper Lake, Cooper Lake State Park, or erecting any new
signs for Jim Chapman Lake. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 595 outlines provisions regarding Cooper State Park.

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 Chapter 22, Parks and Wildlife Code, by adding
Subchapter U, as follows: 

 SUBCHAPTER U. COOPER STATE PARK

Sec. 22.281. JURISDICTION. Provides that Cooper State Park, located in
Delta and Hopkins counties, is under the jurisdiction of the Parks and
Wildlife Department.  

Sec. 22.282. SIGNS. Sets forth certain signs which the Texas Department of
Transportation is prohibited from erecting. 

Sec. 22.283. PUBLICATIONS. Prohibits the state from referring to the lake
at Cooper State Park without also making reference to Cooper State Park in
any state publication, including a map or brochure. 

SECTION 2. Effective date:  September 1, 1997.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
  

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

The original bill makes reference to Cooper Lake State Park, this
reference has been changed to Cooper State Park throughout the committee
substitute. 

CSHB 595, Sec. 22.282 (2),  provides that TxDOT may not erect a sign that
refers to the lake at Cooper State Park without also making reference to
Cooper State Park, in the original bill subsection  (2) provided that
TxDOT may not erect a sign that refers to the lake at Cooper Lake State
Park by a name other than Cooper Lake. 

CSHB 595, Sec. 22.283, provides the state may not refer to the lake at
Cooper State Park without also making reference to Cooper State Park, the
original bill provided that the state may not refer to Cooper Lake State
Park by a name other than Cooper Lake State Park. 

CSHB 595 adds a new SECTION 2, which states the effective date of this act
is September 1, 1997, and the following section is renumbered
appropriately.