BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1550

By: Paddie

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A number of public entities are subject to periodic review by the Texas Sunset Commission. H.B. 1550 seeks to provide a two-year extension for agencies subject to abolishment under the Texas Sunset Act following review during the 2019 sunset review cycle, protecting against unintended abolishment of an agency should the legislature fail to enact legislation extending an applicable agency.

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. 1550 amends the Alcoholic Beverage Code to postpone from September 1, 2019, to September 1, 2021 the date on which the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission is abolished and related provisions expire unless continued in existence as provided by the Texas Sunset Act.

H.B. 1550 amends the Finance Code to postpone from September 1, 2019, to September 1, 2021, the date on which the following entities are abolished unless continued in existence as provided by the Texas Sunset Act:

· the Finance Commission of Texas;

· the office of banking commissioner;

· the office of savings and mortgage lending commissioner;

· the Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending; and

· the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner.

H.B. 1550 amends the Government Code to postpone from September 1, 2019, to September 1, 2021, the date on which the following entities are abolished and related provisions expire, as applicable, unless continued in existence as provided by the Texas Sunset Act:

· the Department of Public Safety;

· the Texas Veterans Commission;

· the Texas Military Department;

· the Texas State Library and Archives Commission; and

· the Texas Historical Commission.

H.B. 1550 amends the Insurance Code to postpone the next review of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association under the Texas Sunset Act from the period in which state agencies abolished in 2019 are reviewed to the period in which state agencies abolished in 2021 are reviewed and to postpone the expiration of related provisions from September 1, 2019, to September 1, 2021.

H.B. 1550 amends the Labor Code to postpone from September 1, 2019, to September 1, 2021, the date on which the State Office of Risk Management and the risk management board are abolished and related provisions expire unless continued in existence as provided by the Texas Sunset Act.

H.B. 1550 amends the Natural Resources Code to postpone from September 1, 2019, to September 1, 2021, the date on which the School Land Board is abolished unless continued in existence as provided by the Texas Sunset Act. The bill postpones the next review of the Veterans' Land Board under that act from the period in which state agencies abolished in 2019 are reviewed to the period in which agencies abolished in 2021 are reviewed.

H.B. 1550 amends the Occupations Code to postpone from September 1, 2019, to September 1, 2021, the date on which the following entities are abolished and related provisions expire, as applicable, unless continued in existence as provided by the Texas Sunset Act:

· the Texas Medical Board;

· the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists;

· the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists;

· the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors;

· the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners;

· the Texas Funeral Service Commission;

· the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy;

· the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists;

· the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveying;

· the Texas Real Estate Commission;

· the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board; and

· the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.

H.B. 1550 amends the Special District Local Laws Code to postpone the next review of the Lower Colorado River Authority under the Texas Sunset Act from the period in which state agencies abolished in 2019 are reviewed to the period in which agencies abolished in 2021 are reviewed.

H.B. 1550 amends the Transportation Code to postpone from September 1, 2019, to September 1, 2021, the date on which the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is abolished unless continued in existence as provided by the Texas Sunset Act.

H.B. 1550 amends The Securities Act, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes, to postpone from September 1, 2019, to September 1, 2021, the date on which the State Securities Board is abolished and that act expires unless continued in existence as provided by the Texas Sunset Act.

H.B. 1550 amends Section 1A(a), Chapter 75, Acts of the 43rd Legislature, 1st Called Session, 1933, to postpone the next review of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority under the Texas Sunset Act from the period in which state agencies abolished in 2019 are reviewed to the period in which agencies abolished in 2021 are reviewed.

H.B. 1550 amends Section 1.02A(a), Chapter 427, Acts of the 44th Legislature, 1st Called Session, 1935, to postpone the next review of the Nueces River Authority under the Texas Sunset Act from the period in which state agencies abolished in 2019 are reviewed to the period in which agencies abolished in 2021 are reviewed.

H.B. 1550 amends Section 1A(a), Chapter 279, Acts of the 56th Legislature, Regular Session, 1959, to postpone the next review of the Red River Authority under the Texas Sunset Act from the period in which state agencies abolished in 2019 are reviewed to the period in which agencies abolished in 2021 are reviewed.

H.B. 1550 establishes that the provisions of any other act of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, that extends the sunset date of a governmental entity prevails over the bill's provisions to the extent that a conflict exists without regard to the relative dates of enactment.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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