BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 450

By: Dukes

State Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Office of the State Climatologist at Texas A&M University serves as a clearinghouse for climatic data and provides information about the state's climate to the public. The office works with state and local governments, agencies, groups, and individuals to help them make the best possible use of climate information for decision and policy making. Presently, the Office of the State Climatologist is not established by statute and there is concern that, if this office were to be eliminated, there would be no central office to provide important information to the state and its residents regarding climatology. C.S.H.B. 450 seeks to ensure that residents of Texas continue to have full access to such information through the designation of a state climatologist and the operation of a state climate office.

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

C.S.H.B. 450 amends the Government Code to require the governor to appoint an officer or employee of a state agency as the state climatologist from a list submitted by the speaker of the house of representatives and the lieutenant governor.  The bill establishes that in order to be eligible for designation as the state climatologist an individual must have a graduate degree with specialization in climate studies or a closely related field of study and extensive experience in employing climate data for use by legislative, public, and private entities.  The bill makes service as the state climatologist by an officer or employee of a state agency an additional duty of the individual's office or employment and requires the state climatologist to operate a state climate office that meets or exceeds the standards and level of service required for recognition by the American Association of State Climatologists or an appropriate successor organization.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 450 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and highlighted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.