BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3649

By: Smith

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, lifetime hunting licenses are available for purchase by Texas residents. Interested parties contend that certain individuals who do not permanently reside but own property in Texas, or whose parents or children are long-time Texas property owners, should also be allowed to purchase a lifetime hunting license as these individuals, like state residents, also have fiduciary obligations to the state. C.S.H.B. 3649 seeks to address this issue.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 3649 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to make available to a nonresident landowner the lifetime hunting license that is available to a Texas resident, if a person related to the nonresident landowner within the first degree by consanguinity has owned property in Texas for at least 15 years before the date of the purchase of the license. The bill authorizes the revocation of a nonresident's lifetime hunting license in accordance with Parks and Wildlife Commission rule if the landowner ceases to own property in Texas. The bill applies only to a fee charged for a hunting license issued on or after the bill's effective date and establishes that the Parks and Wildlife Department is not required to issue a refund for any license issued before that date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3649 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Section 42.0021, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended.	SECTION 1. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 2.  Section 42.0121, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 42.0121.  LIFETIME [RESIDENT] HUNTING LICENSE FEE. (a) A nonresident landowner may purchase a lifetime hunting license if the landowner has owned property in this state for at least three years before the date of the purchase of the license.  A license purchased under this subsection may be revoked in accordance with commission rule if the landowner ceases to own property in this state. (b)  The fee for a lifetime [resident] hunting license is $300 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more.	SECTION 2.  Section 42.0121, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 42.0121.  LIFETIME [RESIDENT] HUNTING LICENSE FEE. (a) A nonresident landowner may purchase a lifetime hunting license if a person related to the landowner within the first degree by consanguinity has owned property in this state for at least 15 years before the date of the purchase of the license.  A license purchased under this subsection may be revoked in accordance with commission rule if the landowner ceases to own property in this state. (b)  The fee for a lifetime [resident] hunting license is $300 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more.
SECTION 3.  Section 42.0175(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended.	SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 4.  (a)  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to a fee charged for a hunting license issued on or after the effective date of this Act. (b)  A hunting license issued before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the license was issued, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.  The Parks and Wildlife Department is not required to issue a refund for any license issued before the effective date of this Act.	SECTION 4. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.	SECTION 5. Same as introduced version.