BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 406

By: Price

Public Health

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that organ donation helps heal and save lives. Reports indicate that Texans overwhelmingly support organ donation and that many adults in Texas are currently registered in the Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry, which has grown significantly through a partnership with the Department of Public Safety. It has been suggested that because hunting and fishing licenses are purchased on a more frequent basis than driver's licenses are issued or renewed, providing the opportunity to register as an organ donor when applying online for a hunting or fishing license could help reduce the list of those waiting on a transplant. C.S.H.B.  406 seeks to provide such applicants with that opportunity.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Parks and Wildlife Commission in SECTION 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 406 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to require the Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) to add on the TPWD website a link to the Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry operated under the Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act for persons to access when applying on the website for a hunting or fishing license, including a combination hunting and fishing license. The bill authorizes the Parks and Wildlife Commission to adopt rules as necessary to implement the bill.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 406 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes a provision requiring TPWD to add on the TPWD website a link to the Glenda Dawson Donate Life-Texas Registry.

The substitute does not include provisions:

·         requiring a hunting or fishing license issuer to ask a license applicant about organ donor registration and to provide certain information to the statewide donor registry organization; or

·         authorizing a person to make a voluntary contribution to such an organization when applying for a hunting or fishing license.