BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2004

By: Anderson, Charles "Doc"

Economic & Small Business Development

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties have expressed concerns regarding the continued operation of the Texas economic development fund for the Department of Agriculture. H.B. 2004 seeks to address this issue by making changes to the fund's composition and use.

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

H.B. 2004 amends the Agriculture Code to expand the authorized uses of money appropriated to the Texas economic development fund for the Department of Agriculture (TDA) to include the administration, continuance, implementation, or maintenance of an economic development program originally established as part of the TDA's implementation of the State Small Business Credit Initiative; one or more programs to further the TDA's duties relating to the solicitation and acceptance of gifts, grants, and donations; one or more programs or services to encourage the export of Texas agricultural products or products manufactured in rural Texas; and an economic development program established through an agreement with a federal agency, foreign governmental entity, local governmental entity, nonprofit organization, private entity, public university, or state governmental entity to encourage rural economic development in Texas.

H.B. 2004 includes among the gifts, loans, donations, aid, appropriations, guaranties, allocations, subsidies, grants, or contributions comprising the fund those received under statutory provisions relating to the TDA's authority to solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.