HBA-NIK S.B. 287 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 287 By: Brown State Recreational Resources 3/28/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (department) receives $1 million annually from sporting goods sales tax to use for the acquisition, development, or improvement of department lands or facilities and for park grants. H.B. 1691 expands the currently authorized uses for the account to include operational costs in association with parks, fisheries, or wildlife projects. It also allows for providing matching money for federal projects for parks, fisheries, or wildlife projects. 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 Subsection (c), Section 11.043, Parks and Wildlife Code, to provide that money in the account may be spent only for acquisition and development or for operation of parks, fisheries, and wildlife projects that have been individually approved by the commission. Includes, among the approved projects, the operational costs in association with any parks, fisheries, or wildlife projects; and meeting the requirements for providing matching money for any federal grants for parks, fisheries, or wildlife projects. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.