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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

S.B. 1181

By: Huffines

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties note that the Parks and Wildlife Department manages a system of hunting and fishing licenses but contend that the number of different requirements, types, endorsements, and options associated with these licenses provides for a complex and confusing licensing system. The parties assert that consolidating noncommercial hunting and fishing licenses into a master license will help make the licensing system easier to navigate. S.B. 1181 seeks to provide for a study to investigate 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

 

S.B. 1181 requires the Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to conduct a study of ways to simplify and consolidate TPWD's noncommercial hunting and fishing license systems into a single master license. The bill requires the study to evaluate: consolidating all noncommercial hunting and fishing licenses, tags, and stamps into a master license while maintaining license exemptions in existence as of the bill's effective date; how to maintain wildlife management standards under a master license system; the elimination of the hunter education course as a separate requirement for hunting with a license or how to maintain the hunter education program under a master license system without unduly affecting persons who would need the license only for fishing; and ways to increase ease of purchase and use for individuals applying for a hunting or fishing license in Texas. The bill requires TPWD to submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the chair of each committee of the legislature that has primary jurisdiction over TPWD a written report that summarizes the findings of the study not later than November 12, 2017. The bill's provisions expire December 31, 2017.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.