78R6651 SGA-D

By:  Casteel                                                      H.B. No. 2965



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the use of state land for public hunting.                         
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Parks and Wildlife 
Code, is amended by adding Section 12.0261 to read as follows:
	Sec. 12.0261.  ASSESSMENT OF USING STATE LAND FOR PUBLIC 
HUNTING.  (a)  Not later than January 31 of each even-numbered year, 
the department shall request an inventory and assessment from all 
state agencies holding state land that may be suitable for public 
hunting, including land in the permanent university fund.
	(b)  Not later than June 1 of each even-numbered year, each 
state agency contacted shall provide the department with an 
inventory of the land the agency holds in this state and an 
assessment of the potential of each property listed on the 
inventory for use in a public hunting program to be managed by the 
department.
	(c)  Based on the inventories and assessments received under 
Subsection (b), the department shall identify land appropriate for 
public hunting.  If the department finds that the economic benefit 
of making the land available for a public hunting program is greater 
than the costs to this state, including administrative, personnel, 
and environmental costs or costs associated with the loss of use of 
the land for other purposes, the department shall prepare a 
detailed proposal to implement a public hunting program for that 
land.
	(d)  The department shall send to the affected state agency 
its proposal for a property selected under Subsection (c).  Before a 
public hunting program may begin on land identified under this 
section, the department and the affected agency must agree on the 
terms of the proposal.
	(e)  Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year, 
the department shall report on the results of the assessments, 
proposals, and programs under this section to the governor, the 
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, 
and the chairs of appropriate house and senate committees.
	SECTION 2.  Not later than December 31, 2003, the Parks and 
Wildlife Department shall adopt any rules necessary to implement 
this Act.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.