| TO: | Honorable Anna Mowery, Chair, House Committee on Land & Resource Management |
| FROM: | John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB3156 by Bonnen (Relating to the transfer of certain state property from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to the General Land Office.), As Introduced |
This bill would require the transfer of all real property held by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Parks and Wildlife Commission to the General Land Office (GLO). The duties and services of the TPWD would not transfer. The GLO would, in effect, hold title to TPWD real property. The management and operation of the TPWD would be unchanged; however, real property disposition could only occur through the GLO.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has expressed some concerns about the potential loss of donated lands, if donors object to the transfer of property title to the GLO. Other concerns identified by TPWD include the possible need to reimburse federal agencies for lands transferred to GLO that were purchased with federal funds; and the potential for conflict between GLO's goal of maximizing the state's income from land resources, and TPWD's goal of providing recreational opportunity, and providing or restoring habitat for fish and wildlife species. However, TPWD was not able to identify the fiscal impact of these concerns.
| Source Agencies: | 305 General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department
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| LBB Staff: | JK, CL, ZS
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