SRC-MKV H.B. 998 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 998
77R6585 JAT-DBy: Hartnett (Wentworth)
Health & Human Services
5/4/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

In 1997, the legislature established the animal friendly account to be
administered by the Texas Department of Health (TDH) and funded by fees
collected from the sale of "animal friendly" license plates. The purpose of
the account is to make grants to organizations that sterilize animals at
minimal or no cost. Current law provides that expenditures from the account
can only be made after $500,000 has been credited to the account. The
animal friendly advisory committee (committee), consisting of seven members
who serve two-year terms, was established to assist the Texas Board of
Health in developing guidelines for the expenditure of money credited to
the account and to make recommendations regarding applications submitted
for grants. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the
"animal friendly" license plates are a popular theme license plate and the
fund totals more than $500,000. Increasing the term of each committee
member to four years would enable them to gain greater expertise. H.B. 998
increases the term of committee members to four years and removes the
provision that restricts TDH from making expenditures until $500,000 has
been credited to the fund.  

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 828.014(b), Health and Safety Code, to delete
language authorizing the Texas Department of Health to spend money credited
to the account only after at least $500,000 has been credited to the
account. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 828.015(d), Health and Safety Code, to add
language providing that members of the committee serve staggered four-year
terms with the terms of as near one-half as possible of the members
expiring on January 31 of each even-numbered year.  Deletes language
providing that each member serves a term of two years and that the terms of
four members expire on January 31 of each odd-numbered year and the terms
of the remaining members expire on January 31 of each even-numbered year. 

SECTION 3.  Repealer: Section 4, Chapter 657, Acts of the 75th Legislature,
Regular Session, 1997, as amended by Section 5, Chapter 951, Acts of the
76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999. 

SECTION 4.  Provides that the terms of the four members of the animal
friendly advisory committee that were to expire on January 31, 2003, are
extended to three-year terms and expire on January 31, 2004. 

SECTION 5.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.