BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1561

By: Meyer

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been reported that some educational programs across the country provide free admission to national parks for certain elementary school students. There have been calls to provide fifth grade students similar opportunities in Texas state parks. C.S.H.B. 1561 seeks to authorize the Parks and Wildlife Commission to provide free admission to state parks for such students.

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

C.S.H.B. 1561 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to authorize the Parks and Wildlife Commission to waive the park entrance fee for a student enrolled in the fifth grade or a child who is 11 years of age.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1561 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 does not include provisions authorizing a Texas resident who is a fifth grade student or who is a home-schooled child who is 11 years of age to apply for a state parklands passport and entitling such students to enter any state park without payment of an entrance or admission fee. The substitute includes a provision that instead authorizes the commission to waive the park entrance fee for a fifth grade student or a child who is 11 years of age.