BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1896

By: Phelan

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Recent legislation prohibited a state agency from adopting a proposed rule that imposes a cost on regulated persons unless the agency repeals or amends a rule that imposes a total cost on regulated persons in an equivalent or greater amount. It has also been noted that several state agencies were exempted from this legislation and that the Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) could benefit from such an exemption. H.B. 1896 seeks to provide an exemption for the Parks and Wildlife Department from that prohibition to allow TPWD to better fulfill its mission.

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. 1896 amends the Government Code to exempt the Parks and Wildlife Department from the prohibition against a state agency adopting a proposed rule for which the applicable fiscal note states that the rule imposes a cost on regulated persons unless on or before the proposed rule's effective date the state agency repeals a rule that imposes a total cost on regulated persons that is equal to or greater than the total cost imposed on regulated persons by the proposed rule or amends a rule to decrease the total cost imposed on regulated persons by an amount that is equal to or greater than the cost imposed on the persons by the proposed rule.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.