Honorable Tracy O. King, Chair, House Committee on Agriculture & Livestock
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3717 by King, Tracy O. (Relating to programs to provide incentives for conserving water in outdoor landscapes.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Texas Agriculture Code by adding Chapter 46A on landscape and irrigation incentive programs. The bill would instruct the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to establish, maintain, and publish a list of publicly funded programs that encourage the replacement of a lawn with landscaping that requires less water to maintain. The bill would require any governmental entity or retail public utility that operates a landscape incentive program that is funded, entirely or in part, by public money, to register the program with TDA for inclusion on the list, and would allow the program to provide monetary incentives for purchasing and installing irrigation or sprinkler controllers. The bill would require TDA to establish, maintain, and publish a list of grasses and plants that TDA determines can sustain healthy growth in the various climates of the state of Texas. The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
TDA estimates that the provisions of the bill could be implemented using existing resources.
Local Government Impact
According to the Texas Municipal League, the fiscal impact to municipalities is not anticipated to be significant.
Source Agencies:
473 Public Utility Commission of Texas, 551 Department of Agriculture, 580 Water Development Board