BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

C.S.S.B. 1731

85R22963 AAF-D

By: Birdwell

 

Business & Commerce

 

4/19/2017

 

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

There are many boards, commissions, and/or task forces that are currently inactive and outdated. The Office of the Governor has provided recommendations for boards, commissions, and/or task forces that no longer need to be formally codified because they are inactive and they are no longer making appointments to these entities.

 

The purpose of this bill is to remove boards, commissions, and/or task forces that are deemed by the Office of the Governor as inactive. Below is a list of the boards, commissions, and/or task forces S.B. 1731 repeals:

 

         State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance Day Medal Committee;

         Texas Bioenergy Policy Council and Texas Bioenergy Research Committee;

         Border Security Council;

         College Opportunity Act Committee;

         Texas Distinguished Service Awards Committee;

         Advisory Board of Economic Development Stakeholders;

         Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Advisory Board;

         Fire Ant Research and Management Account Advisory Committee;

         Office of Patient Protection;

         Southern Regional Education Compact. (Original Author�s / Sponsor�s Statement of Intent)

 

C.S.S.B. 1731 amends current law relating to the repeal of laws governing certain state entities, including the functions of those entities.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority previously granted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is modified in SECTION 8 (Section 394.005, Health and Safety Code) of this bill.

 

Rulemaking authority previously granted to the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station is rescinded in SECTION 9 (Section 77.022, Agriculture Code) of this bill.

 

Rulemaking authority previously granted to the Fire Ant Research and Management Account Advisory Committee is rescinded in SECTION 9 (Section 88.215, Education Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. AGRICULTURE AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) Abolishes the Agriculture and Wildlife Research and Management Advisory Committee (AWRMAC).

 

(b) Amends  Section 50.001, Agriculture Code, to delete existing text requiring the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station to consult with AWRMAC in developing and administering a certain program.

 

(c) Repealer: Section 88.216 (Agriculture and Wildlife Research and Management Advisory Committee; Other Agencies), Education Code.

 

SECTION 2. STATE OF TEXAS ANNIVERSARY REMEMBRANCE DAY MEDAL COMMITTEE. (a) Abolishes the State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance Day Medal Committee.

 

(b) Repealer: Chapter 3103 (State of Texas Anniversary Remembrance Day Medal), Government Code.

 

SECTION 3. TEXAS BIOENERGY POLICY COUNCIL AND TEXAS BIOENERGY RESEARCH COMMITTEE. (a) Abolishes the Texas Bioenergy Policy Council and the Texas Bioenergy Research Committee.

 

(b) Repealer: Chapter 50D (Texas Bioenergy Policy Council and Texas Bioenergy Research Committee), Agriculture Code.

 

(c) Provides that to the extent of any conflict, this section prevails over another Act of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.

 

SECTION 4. BORDER SECURITY COUNCIL. (a) Abolishes the Border Security Council.

 

(b) Repealer: Section 421.0025 (Border Security Council), Government Code.

 

SECTION 5. COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY ACT COMMITTEE. (a) Abolishes the College Opportunity Act committee.

 

(b) Repealer: Chapter 1233 (College Opportunity Act), Government Code.

 

SECTION 6. TEXAS DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS COMMITTEE. (a) Abolishes the Texas Distinguished Service Awards Committee.

 

(b) Repealer: Chapter 3102 (Texas Distinguished Service Medal), Government Code.

 

SECTION 7. ADVISORY BOARD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAKEHOLDERS. (a) Abolishes the advisory board of economic development stakeholders.

 

(b) Repealer: Section 481.169 (Advisory Board of Economic Development Stakeholders), Government Code.

 

SECTION 8. TEXAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION PLAN ADVISORY BOARD. (a) Abolishes the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Advisory Board (TERPAB).

 

(b) Amends Sections 386.057(a) and (b), Health and Safety Code, as follows:

 

(a) Deletes existing text requiring consultation with TERPAB.

 

(b) Makes a conforming change.

 

(c) Amends Section 386.104(f), Health and Safety Code, to make a conforming and a nonsubstantive change.

 

(d) Amends Sections 386.107, 386.114, and 386.115, Health and Safety Code, to make conforming changes.

 

(e) Amends Section 386.252(d), Health and Safety Code, to make a conforming change.

 

(f) Amends Sections 394.005(a) and (g), Health and Safety Code, to make conforming changes.

 

(g) Repealer: Section 386.001(1) (relating to the definition of "advisory board"), Health and Safety Code.

 

Repealer: Section 386.058 (Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Advisory Board), Health and Safety Code.

 

Repealer: Section 394.001(1) (relating to the definition of "advisory board"), Health and Safety Code.

 

SECTION 9. FIRE ANT RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT ACCOUNT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) Abolishes the Fire Ant Research and Management Account Advisory Committee.

 

(b) Repealer: Section 77.022 (Fire Ant Basic Research Program), Agriculture Code.

 

Repealer: Section 88.215 (Fire Ant Research and Management Account Advisory Committee; Other Agencies), Education Code.

 

SECTION 10. Effective date: September 1, 2017.