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.