Honorable Byron Cook, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB773 by Johnson, Eric (Relating to information on projected changes in weather, water availability, and climate variability in strategic plans of certain state agencies.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Government Code to require the state climatologist to provide a report to the Legislative Budget Board on projected changes in weather, water availability, and climate variability across the state in a manner and for periods of time required by the bill. The bill would require the Legislative Budget Board to distribute the report to certain state agencies no later than March 1st of each even-numbered year for use in the strategic plans for those agencies.
The bill would require the strategic plans for those specific agencies to include an analysis of expected changes in the services provided by the agency due to projected changes in weather, water availability, and climate variability as determined by the state climatologist's report. The bill would also require strategic plans for those agencies to include a description of the means and strategies for meeting the agency's needs and managing the risks associated with the projected changes as required by the bill.
Based on information provided by the Office of the Governor, the General Land Office, the Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Insurance, the Public Utility Commission, the Texas A&M University System Administration, the Water Development Board, the Commission on Environmental Quality, the Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Legislative Budget Board, it is assumed that duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished utilizing existing resources. The Department of Agriculture estimates there would be a minimal cost associated with implementing the provisions of the bill and that increased fees would cover those costs.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
300 Trusteed Programs Within the Office of the Governor, 305 General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board, 332 Department of Housing and Community Affairs, 405 Department of Public Safety, 454 Department of Insurance, 473 Public Utility Commission of Texas, 551 Department of Agriculture, 576 Texas A&M Forest Service, 580 Water Development Board, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department