BILL ANALYSIS
By: Averitt
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
S.B. 1828, 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, amended Section 201.011, Agriculture Code, to expand the composition of the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (board) from five members to seven. Under the provisions of the bill, the two additional board members would be appointed by the governor. The other five members are elected by the soil and water conservation districts.
The substitute eliminates the two board members appointed by the governor, and reduces the State Soil and Water Conservation Board back to a five member board.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
The substitute eliminates the two board members appointed by the governor, and reduces the State Soil and Water Conservation Board to a five member board. The substitute does not affect the entitlement of a member serving on the board immediately before the effective date of the Act to fulfill their term. The substitute further states that the term of any member appointed by the governor and serving on the board on the effective date of this Act will expire on September 1, 2007.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The original bill continued the two governor appointments and aligned the qualifications of those members with the qualifications of the elected board members.
The substitute does not allow for future appointments to the board to be made by the governor. It thereby strikes all language in the original that dealt with the qualifications of governor appointed board members. And it states that the term of any member serving in a governor appointed seat by the effective date of the act will expire on September 1, 2007.