HBA-AMW, CBW H.B. 906 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 906
By: Bosse
Land & Resource Management
7/19/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Coastal Coordination Council (council) administers the Texas coastal
management program linking federal, state, and local activities along the
coast.  Although small compared to many state programs, the council's grant
program is a vital part of Texas' coastal management efforts.  Prior to the
77th Legislature, despite the federal grants that were awarded to the
council to fund coastal management efforts, the council lacked statutory
guidance for administering these funds.  

House Bill 906 provides for the continuation of council and implements the
recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 906 amends the Natural Resources Code to provide for the
continuation of the Coastal Coordination Council (council) until September
1, 2013 (Sec. 33.211). The bill authorizes the council to award grants to
projects that further the goals and policies of the council.  The bill
requires the council to establish the procedures for making any
determination related to awarding a grant (Sec. 33.204).   

The bill modifies the composition of the council to include the director of
The Texas A&M University Sea Grant Program to serve as a nonvoting member
(Sec. 33.2041). The bill removes a provision that authorizes the council to
appoint only persons who live in the Texas coastal area to the advisory
committee (Sec. 33.052).  The bill authorizes the council to review a
proposed action of an agency or subdivision if any three members of the
council other than the director of The Texas A&M University Sea Grant
Program, rather than any three regular members, agrees that there is a
significant unresolved dispute regarding the proposed action's consistency
with the goals and policies  of the coastal management program (Sec.
33.205).  The bill requires the council to report to the legislature on the
population growth of, infrastructure needs of, and use of resources on the
coast (Sec. 33.207).  

The bill also sets forth standard Sunset Advisory Commission
recommendations regarding public testimony, equal employment, conflicts of
interest, member removal, standards of conduct, member training, and the
maintaining of written complaints (Secs. 33.204, 33.2041-33.2045, and
33.212). 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.