BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 592

79R2218 JRD-D                                                                                                   By: Jackson, Mike

                                                                                            S/C on Agriculture & Coastal Resources

                                                                                                                                              3/4/2005

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently, there is a need for an organized effort at the federal level by the states on the Gulf Coast to derive more benefits for coastal areas.

 

S.B. 592 initiates the formation of the Multistate Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group (group).  The group will ultimately be comprised of all the states that border the Gulf Coast.  This includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.  The goal of this group is to bring together the decision makers at the state level who form policy related to coastal issues so that they may be united in their efforts at the federal level.  The type of policy effort that will most likely have to be undertaken as a result of this legislation is organizing federal congressional support for matters important to the Gulf Coast such as beach erosion, preservation of bays and estuaries, and other issues that directly affect the coastal regions.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group in SECTION 1 (Section 33.652, Natural Resources Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 33, Natural Resources Code, by adding Subchapter I, as follows:

 

SUBCHAPTER I.  GULF COAST LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP

 

Sec. 33.651.  LEGISLATIVE FINDING.  Provides that the legislature finds that it would be in the best interests of this state for appropriate members of the legislature and the land commissioner together with their counterparts in other states bordering the Gulf of Mexico to form a Multistate Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group to work together and with members of Congress from the Gulf Coast states on issues of common concern to the Gulf Coast.

 

Sec. 33.652.  TEXAS GULF COAST LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP.  (a)  Sets forth the composition of the Texas Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group (group).

 

(b)  Requires the members of the group to annually elect a presiding officer and assistant presiding officer for the working group from among the members.

 

(c)  Requires the group to meet as provided by rule of the group.

 

(d)  Authorizes members of the group to use their staff to support group activities and travel on group business in accordance with the rules and procedures that apply to the members' travel on official business.

 

Sec. 33.653.  TEXAS WORKING GROUP ACTIVITIES; MULTISTATE GULF COAST LEGISLATIVE WORKING GROUP.  (a)  Requires the group to take certain actions to address issues involving the Gulf Coast.

 

(b)  Provides that the group and the appropriate entity in each Gulf Coast state that accepts the proposal described in Subsection (a)(4) comprise the Multistate Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group.

 

(c)  Authorizes the Multistate Gulf Coast Legislative Working Group, once formed, to adopt whatever name the group determines to be most suitable.

 

Sec. 33.654.  BIENNIAL REPORT.  Requires the group to report on its activities to the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2005.