78R6037 SGA-F

By:  Baxter                                                       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)  Permit holders shall amend a plan or agreement to which 
this section applies to include land or conservation easements 
acquired by the permit holders with public money for any other 
environmentally related purpose after the submission of the 
original plan to the federal government.  The permit holders shall 
submit the amended plan or agreement to the appropriate federal 
agency under the federal act, for the federal agency to determine if 
any of the land acquired can be counted toward the land planned for 
acquisition under the original habitat preservation plan or 
agreement.
	(c)  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 holders shall reduce appropriately the number of acres that 
need to be acquired to complete land acquisitions under the 
original plan or agreement.
	(d)  This section expires on September 1, 2005.                         
	SECTION 2.  (a)  A permit holder to whom Section 83.021, Parks 
and Wildlife Code, as added by this Act, applies shall file an 
amended permit with the federal government not later than December 
1, 2003.
	(b)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.