78R12146 E


By:  Baxter                                                       H.B. No. 1837

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1837:                                   

By:  Phillips                                                 C.S.H.B. No. 1837



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to federal approval of land for habitat conservation.                
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 83, Parks and Wildlife 
Code, is amended by adding Section 83.021 to read as follows:
	Sec. 83.021.  FEDERAL APPROVAL OF LAND ACQUISITIONS.  (a)  
This section applies to  a conservation agreement, as defined by 
Section 83.005, a habitat conservation plan, or a regional habitat 
conservation plan that:
		(1)  received a federal permit before September 1, 
1999;             
		(2)  has planned the acquisition of more than 1,000 
acres of land under the permit; and
		(3)  has not completed the planned acquisitions by 
September 1, 2003.
	(b)  Not later than December 1, 2003, a permit holder shall 
prepare an amendment to a plan or agreement to which this section 
applies to include all land and conservation easements acquired 
before December 1, 2003, by the permit holder with public money for 
any environmentally related purpose and after the submission of the 
original plan to the federal government.  The permit holder shall 
submit the amendment to the plan or agreement to the appropriate 
federal agency under the federal act.  The federal agency shall 
determine which portions of the land acquired count toward the 
total area of land planned for acquisition under the original 
habitat preservation plan or agreement.
	(c)  The permit holder shall prepare and file an additional 
amendment for every 1,000 acres of land or conservation easements 
acquired on or after December 1, 2003, not later than 60 days after 
the date of the last acquisition.
	(d)  If the federal agency approves the use of all or part of 
the land included under Subsection (b) for partial completion of 
the planned acquisitions under the original plan or agreement, the 
permit holder shall reduce appropriately the number of acres that 
need to be acquired to complete land acquisitions under the 
original plan or agreement.
	(e)  This section expires on September 1, 2005.                         
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.