BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 361

By: Otto

Ways & Means

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

An agricultural appraisal advisory board counsels the chief appraiser of each appraisal district on the valuation and use of land that may be designated for agricultural use or that may be open space agricultural or timber land within the district. The board consists of a representative of the county agricultural stabilization and conservation service and landowners of the district whose land qualifies for appraisal as land designated for agricultural use, agricultural land, timber land, or restricted-use timber land and who have been district residents for at least five years.  

The county agricultural stabilization and conservation service is now called the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a federal agency in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA will not allow members of the NRCS to serve on a Texas agricultural advisory board due to the potential conflicts of interest. H.B. 361 removes the  requirement that one of the members of the agricultural advisory board be a representative of the county agricultural stabilization and conservation service.

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. 361 amends the Tax Code to remove a requirement that one of the members of an agricultural appraisal advisory board appointed by the chief appraiser of each appraisal district be a representative of the county agricultural stabilization and conservation service.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.