BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 581

By: White

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that firework sales to the public should be allowed for the celebration of the Labor Day holiday. H.B. 581 seeks to provide for the sale of fireworks on and before the holiday.

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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 581 amends the Occupations Code to authorize a retail fireworks permit holder to sell fireworks to the public during the period beginning five days before Labor Day and ending at midnight on Labor Day in a county in which the commissioners court has approved the sale of fireworks during that period.

H.B. 581 amends the Local Government Code to require the Texas A&M Forest Service to make its services available to respond to a county request to determine whether drought conditions exist on average in the county during the Labor Day fireworks season. The bill sets the deadline by which the county commissioners court must adopt an order prohibiting or restricting the sale or use of restricted fireworks in the unincorporated area of the county based on a drought determination during the Labor Day fireworks season.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.