C.S.H.B. 649 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 649
By: Keffer, Jim
Land & Resource Management
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

H.B. 7 enacted by the 77th Legislature created the Office of Rural
Community Affairs. H.B. 7 requires an annual meeting of agency heads to
discuss rural issues.   

C.S.H.B. 649 includes agencies that were left out of H.B. 7 to the list of
agencies required to attend the annual meeting and clarifies the purpose
of the annual meeting. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 487.054(a), Government Code, to clarify that
the additional purpose of the annual meeting is to aid the Office of Rural
Community Affairs in developing rural policy and compiling their annual
report.  Adds several agencies to the list of agencies required to attend
the annual meeting. 

SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 487, Government Code, by adding
Sec. 487.0541 as follows: 

Creates an interagency work group to develop a process to allow agencies
to work together on rural issues, discuss and coordinate programs and
services offered to rural communities and residents, and develop
regulatory and legislative recommendations that would eliminate
duplication and combine program services. 

Requires the executive head of the agencies included under SECTION 1 to
appoint a representative from the respective agency to serve as a member
of an interagency work group. 

Requires the work group to meet at the call of the executive director of
the Office of Rural Community Affairs. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.S.B. 649 differs from the introduced bill as follows:

Authorizes "designees" in addition to "agency heads" to meet in Austin for
the annual meeting. 

Adds the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board to the list of
agencies to attend the annual  meeting.   

Opens the interagency work group to a representative of any agency that
was not listed but would like to attend.