HBA-RBT H.B. 3417 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3417 By: Counts Agriculture & Livestock 3/24/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE H.B. 3417 transfers Section 481.0067 (Office of Rural Affairs), Government Code, to Section 12.038, Agriculture Code. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 481.0067, Government Code, to redesignate it to Section 12.038, Chapter 12, Agriculture Code. SECTION 2. (a) Effective date: September 1, 1999. (b) Provides that as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, but not later than January 1, 2000, all powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Texas Department of Economic Development relating to the Office of Rural Affairs are transferred to the commissioner of agriculture and the Department of Agriculture; and that all assets, liabilities, personnel, equipment, data, documents, facilities, and other items relating to the Office of Rural Affairs are transferred from the Texas Department of Economic Development to the Department of Agriculture, and any appropriation to the Texas Department of Economic Development relating to the Office of Rural Affairs is transferred to the Department of Agriculture. (c) Authorizes the governing board of the Texas Department of Economic Development to decide whether to transfer to the Department of Agriculture personnel and assets that relate to the Office of Rural Affairs as well as that do not relate to the Office of Rural Affairs. (d) Requires the officers and employees of the Texas Department of Economic Development and the Department of Agriculture to cooperate fully with the transfer. (e) Requires the transfer of functions under Subsection (b) of this section to occur on the date specified in an interagency contract. (f) Makes application of this Act prospective. (g) Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.