BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2218

By: Lozano

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the amount of the fee for a Class A menhaden boat license issued for the purpose of catching, storing, and transporting menhaden, which is an important saltwater fish used for fish meal, food ingredients, animal feed, and dietary supplements. It has been suggested that the amount of the current annual fee for such a license has adversely impacted commercial and recreational fishermen who make their living fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. C.S.H.B. 2218 seeks to address this issue by providing for an alternative menhaden boat license issued at a lower cost.

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. 2218 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to create a Class C menhaden boat license for the catching, storing, and transporting of menhaden in tidal water the holder of which is restricted to taking and harvesting from the state's public water not more than 300 pounds a day of menhaden or another amount set by the Parks and Wildlife Department. The bill requires the Parks and Wildlife Commission to set the license fee for a Class C menhaden boat license at $420 for each yearly period. The bill authorizes the holder of a Class C menhaden boat license to use a cast net, as defined by the commission, to catch menhaden.

C.S.H.B. 2218 repeals Section 47.008(c), Parks and Wildlife Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2218 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 an authorization for the holder of a Class C menhaden boat license to use a cast net to catch menhaden.