Overview                                                             
	The proposed rider would provide funding including 
additional FTEs to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality 
(TCEQ), the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and the 
Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to provide technical 
assistance to the Basin and Bay Expert Science Teams (BBESTs). The 
rider would also provide TCEQ with $250,000 in General Revenue in 
each fiscal year for the upgrade and maintenance of water 
availability models. Further, the rider would provide the TWDB with 
$1.3 million in General Revenue for the 2008-2009 biennium to be 
transferred to the Water Assistance Fund (WAF) No. 480 to provide 
funding for the reimbursement of board-related duties for each of 
the BBESTs and the Environmental Flows Science Advisory Committee.

Required Action                                                        
	In Article XI add the following rider for the TCEQ, TPWD, and 
TWDB:          
	____. Contigency Appropriation for HB 3. Contigent upon the 
passage of HB 3, or similar legislation relating to the management 
of water resources, including the protection of instream flows and 
freshwater inflows by the Eightieth Legislature, Regular Session:
	(a) The Texas Commission for Environmental Quality is hereby 
appropriated out of the General Revenue Fund, in Strategy A.2.2, 
Water Resource Permitting, $681,974 in fiscal year 2008 and 
$551,974 in fiscal year 2009 to provide technical assistance to the 
Basin and Bay Expert Science Teams and for contract costs 
associated with the upgrade and maintenance of water availability 
models.
	In addition, the Number of Full-Time-Equivalents (FTE) 
indicated above for the TCEQ is hereby increased by 5.0 in each 
fiscal year of the 2008–09 biennium;
	(b) The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is hereby 
appropriated out of the General Revenue-Dedicated Game, Fish and 
Water Safety Account No. 9, $122,566 in fiscal year 2008 and 
$118,776 in fiscal year 2009 in Strategy A.2.1, Inland Fisheries 
Management, and $61,283 in fiscal year 2008 and $59,388 in fiscal 
year 2009 in Strategy A.2.3, Coastal Fisheries Management, to 
provide technical assistance to the Basin and Bay Expert Science 
Teams.
	In addition, the Number of Full-Time-Equivalents (FTE) 
indicated above for the TPWD is hereby increased by 3.0 in each 
fiscal year of the 2008–2009 biennium; and;
	(c) The Texas Water Development Board is hereby appropriated 
out of the General Revenue Fund, in Strategy A.1.1, Environmental 
Impact Information, $696,904 in fiscal year 2008 and $970,902 in 
fiscal year 2009 of which $525,000 in 2008 and $760,000 in 2009 is 
to be transferred to the Water Assistance Fund (WAF) No. 480 to 
provide funding for the reimbursement of board-related duties for 
each of the Basin and Bay Expert Science Teams (BBESTs) and the 
Environmental Flows Science Advisory Committee. The remaining 
funds are to be used to provide technical assistance to the BBESTs.
	In addition, the Number of Full-Time-Equivalents (FTE) 
indicated above for the TWDB is hereby increased by 3.1 in fiscal 
year 2008 and 4.1 in fiscal year 2009.