LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 29, 2013

TO:
Honorable Troy Fraser, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources
 
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB1561 by Taylor (Relating to the determination of the boundaries of, and the enforcement of the law governing access to, public beaches.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend portions of the Natural Resources Code to allow the Land Commissioner of the General Land Office (GLO) to temporarily suspend determinations of the line of vegetation when a storm event obliterates the line.  The line of vegetation, which helps establish the extent of the public beach, would be set temporarily at 200 feet landward from the line of mean low-tide.

Under the bill, the Land Commissioner can temporarily suspend the line of vegetation for a period of up to three years.  Any suspension would be posted and published as appropriate.  Ultimately, a final determination of the line of vegetation could be determined by court order.  GLO indicates any costs to implement bill provisions could reasonably be absorbed within the agency's existing resources. The Environmental Protection Division of the Office of the Attorney General does not anticipate that the bill will increase the caseload or the complexity of Open Beaches cases.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2013.


Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
302 Office of the Attorney General, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department, 305 General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board
LBB Staff:
UP, TB, SZ