SRC-MWN H.B. 819 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 819 77R2658 BDH-DBy: Counts (Duncan) Natural Resources 5/7/2001 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE The Texas Department of Economic Development (TDED) was created by the 75th Legislature in an effort to assist communities with special needs and challenges. The Office of Rural Affairs (office) was created within TDED to assist rural communities in Texas with enhancement of their economic development competitiveness. In an effort to make the office a more viable tool for addressing the needs and challenges of rural Texas, proponents seek to transfer the office to the commissioner of agriculture and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). H.B. 819 transfers all powers, duties, rights, and obligations of TDED relating to the Office of Rural Affairs to TDA. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 481.0067, Government Code, by transferring it to Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, and redesignating it as Section 12.038, Agriculture Code, as follows: Sec. 12.038. Redesignates existing Section 481.0067 to Section 12.038. SECTION 2. (a) Effective date: September 1, 2001. (b) Provides as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, but not later than January 1, 2002 all powers, duties, rights, and obligations of the Texas Department of Economic Development (TDED) relating to the Office of Rural Affairs are transferred to the commissioner of agriculture and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). (c) Authorizes the governing board of the TDED (board) to decide to transfer certain personal and assets to the TDA. (d) Requires the TDED and TDA to cooperate fully. (e) Requires the transfer of functions to occur on an agreed specified date. (f) Provides that the board retains all powers and duties relating to the Office of Rural Affairs until the effective date of the transfer. (g) Provides that a change in law made by this Act does not affect the validity of any action taken by the board relating to the Office of Rural Affairs.