HBA-CBW C.S.H.B. 906 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 906
By: Bosse
Land & Resource Management
3/23/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



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.  Despite the
federal grants that are awarded to the council to fund coastal management
efforts, the council lacks statutory guidance for administering these
funds.  

C.S.H.B.  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 rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the Coastal Coordination Council in
SECTION 3 (Section 33.204, Natural Resources Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B.  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 by rule 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 member of the council
other than the director of The Texas A&M University Sea Grant Program,
rather than any three 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.




 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 906 modifies the original bill  to authorize the Coastal
Coordination Council (council) to award grants to projects that further the
goals and policies of the council, rather than the goal of protecting and
preserving the state's coastal natural resources (Sec. 33.204).  The
substitute adds the director of The Texas A&M University Sea Grant Program
as a nonvoting second member of the council and removes provisions from the
original bill which added a city or county elected official and a
representative of the public's interest to the council (Sec. 33.2041).  The
substitute excepts the director of The Texas A&M University Sea Grant
Program from the provision that if any member of the council agrees that
there is a significant unresolved dispute, then the council may review a
proposed action (Sec. 33.205).