BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3722

By: Guillen

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Most people who take the Texas boater education course administered by the Parks and Wildlife Commission access the course online through agents appointed by the Parks and Wildlife Department. Several agents have expressed concern about the $3 limit on the service fee they are allowed to collect and keep in Texas for providing such a course, which they assert is less than the service fees they collect for similar online courses they offer in other states. H.B. 3722 seeks to remove the limitation on the service fee an agent may collect in Texas by providing as an alternative to the $3 fee an amount set by the commission and authorizing the agent to collect and keep whichever is greater.

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. 3722 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code, in a provision authorizing an agent appointed by the Parks and Wildlife Department to administer a boater education course or course equivalency examination to collect and keep a $3 service fee for administering such a course, to provide as an alternative to that fee an amount set by the Parks and Wildlife Commission and authorizes the agent to collect and keep whichever is greater.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.