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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the commercial license buyback |
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account managed by the Parks and Wildlife Department. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 47, Parks and Wildlife |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 47.041 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 47.041. COMMERCIAL LICENSE BUYBACK ACCOUNT. (a) The |
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commercial license buyback account is a separate account in the |
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general revenue fund. The account consists of money deposited to |
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the account under this section and Sections 47.081 and 78.111. |
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(b) The department may accept grants and donations of money |
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or materials from private or public sources to be applied to the |
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commercial license buyback account. |
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(c) In addition to fee increases the department is |
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authorized to make under this code, the department shall increase |
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by 15 percent, but not by an amount that exceeds $25, the fee for the |
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following licenses and shall deposit the amount of the increase to |
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the credit of the commercial license buyback account: |
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(1) a bait-shrimp dealer's license issued under |
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Section 77.043; |
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(2) a wholesale fish dealer's license issued under |
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Section 47.009; |
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(3) a wholesale truck dealer's fish license issued |
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under Section 47.010; |
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(4) a retail fish dealer's license issued under |
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Section 47.011; |
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(5) a retail dealer's truck license issued under |
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Section 47.013; |
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(6) a commercial bait-shrimp boat license issued under |
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Section 77.033; |
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(7) a commercial bay shrimp boat license issued under |
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Section 77.031; and |
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(8) a commercial gulf shrimp boat license issued under |
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Section 77.035. |
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(d) The department shall deposit to the credit of the |
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commercial license buyback account transfer fees received under |
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Section 77.115. |
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(e) Money in the commercial license buyback account may be |
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used only to buy back from a willing license holder a commercial |
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license. |
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(f) Money to be used for the purpose of buying back licenses |
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issued under this subchapter is not subject to Section 403.095, |
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Government Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 47.081(d), Parks and Wildlife Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) The department shall set aside at least 20 percent of |
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the fees from licenses issued and license transfers approved under |
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this subchapter [to be used only for the purpose of buying back
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those licenses from a willing license holder]. That money shall be |
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sent to the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the commercial |
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license buyback [game, fish, and water safety] account. |
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SECTION 3. Section 78.111(d), Parks and Wildlife Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) The department shall set aside at least 20 percent of |
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the fee from commercial crab licenses and transfer fees [to be used
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only for the purpose of buying back commercial crab licenses from a
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willing license holder]. That money shall be sent to the |
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comptroller for deposit to the credit of the commercial license |
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buyback [game, fish, and water safety] account. |
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SECTION 4. The following sections of the Parks and Wildlife |
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Code are repealed: |
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(1) Sections 47.081(e) and (f); |
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(2) Section 77.120; and |
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(3) Sections 78.111(e) and (f). |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |