LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
                                Revision 1
  
                              April 12, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable David Swinford, Chair, House Committee on
               Agriculture & Livestock
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB 3277 by Cook (Relating to research on agriculture
               production in the Gulf Coast Region and its effect on
               water use and availability and wildlife habitat.), As
               Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
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The bill would establish an Agriculture/Wildlife Research and Management
Advisory Committee at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
consisting of 13 members.  The Committee would advise the Texas
Agricultural Experiment Station in conducting agriculture/wildlife
research, encourage communication with other states, and establish a
framework for more efficient management of water as it relates to
wildlife habitat and agricultural production in the Gulf Coast Region.

The Texas Agricultural  Experiment Station would be required to
administer an agriculture/wildlife research program with competitive
grants and funding for research, maximize federal funds received for such
research, and develop a research plan.

The Texas Agricultural Extension Service would be required to provide
educational programs on agriculture, water use, and wildlife habitats and
conduct public awareness programs.

Members of the Agriculture/Wildlife Research and Management Advisory
Committee would incur minimal travel expenses, which are not expected to
be significant.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.  The
provision in the bill that allows Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
to solicit, distribute, and create competitive grant and other funding
programs applies to funds other than state General Revenue Funds.
  
  
Source Agencies:   555   Agricultural Extension Service Texas, 556
                   Agricultural Experiment Station Texas, 720   The
                   University of Texas System Administration, 580
                   Water Development Board, 733   Texas Tech
                   University, 551   Department of Agriculture, 802
                   Parks and Wildlife Department
LBB Staff:         JK, DE, KC