H.B. 1396 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1396 By: Berman Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under Chapter 161, Natural Resources Code, The Veterans' Land Board may spend money made from sold bonds to pay for surveying expenses and monumenting land, road construction, legal fees, advertising costs and fees related to the sale of land, and other costs necessary or incidental to the purchase/sale of land acquired by the VLB. These expenses shall be added to the price of the land when sold/resold by the Board. The Board currently is permitted to award a contract up to $10,000 in order to purchase supplies and services for repairs or maintenance of land in order to make the land more marketable or useable without the necessity of soliciting or obtaining competitive bids. HB 1396 increases the amount of money the Board may award to $25,000. 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. HB 1396 increases to $25,000 the amount the Veterans Land Board may award to purchase supplies, materials, services and equipment to make improvements, repairs or maintenance of board-owned land. SECTION 2. Effective Date: September 1, 2003, unless the Act receives the necessary votes for immediate effect.