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BILL ANALYSIS |
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By: Rios Ybarra |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Texas coastal management program is implemented through the Coastal Coordination Council, an interagency board established and organized in accordance with provisions of the Natural Resources Code. The council distributes federal grant money annually and reviews United States Army Corp of Engineers permit requests for consistency with state laws when requested. The statute requires the council to meet once in each calendar quarter. Either the Commissioner of the General Land Office, as chair of the council, or any three members of the council may convene special meetings at other times.
The council needs the flexibility to meet less often and only when necessary to conduct the business of the council. There have been times when the council has convened a meeting only to meet the statutory requirement, having no agenda items to consider. Additionally, the consistency reviews conducted by the council have very short timelines for making the consistency determination. Regularly scheduled quarterly meetings may not fall within the required timeline to respond on consistency issues.
H.B. 1214 requires the council to meet only twice each calendar year, but allows the chair or three members to convene the council at any time as necessary to consider business that properly comes before it.
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
H.B. 1214 amends the Natural Resources Code to reduce the number of required meetings of the Coastal Coordination Council from once each calendar quarter to twice each calendar year as necessary to conduct the business of the council. The bill authorizes the Commissioner of the General Land Office, as council chair, or any three members of the council to convene meetings at such times and places as they may determine necessary and appropriate.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2009.