Honorable Abel Herrero, Chair, House Committee on Land & Resource Management
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1328 by Guillen (Relating to standards for advertising land for sale in certain border counties before a subdivision plat for the land has been approved; affecting the prosecution of a criminal offense.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would expand an existing offense in the Local Government Code for certain counties near international borders to place additional restrictions on advertising the sale of platted land. It requires that these advertisements state use limitations related to plat approval and utility connections. The offense would be punishable as a Class A misdemeanor.
The bill would repeal a definition of "sale" within the relevant subchapter that includes an offer to sell.
According to the Office of the Attorney General, because the changes in the bill narrow the range of regulated activity the agency does not anticipate a significant change to the current workload.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
A Class A misdemeanor is punishable by a fine of not more than $4,000, confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year, or both. Costs associated with enforcement, prosecution, and confinement could likely be absorbed within existing resources. Revenue gain from fines imposed and collected is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal implication.
According to the Texas Association of Counties (TAC), the bill would have no significant fiscal impact on local government.