BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 345
	By: Creighton
	Higher Education
	5/31/2019
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The W.G. Jones State Forest is an active forest owned by the State of Texas and overseen by the Texas A&M Forest Service. It was originally established in 1926 for the purpose of educating landowners, timber producers, forestry students, and various natural resource stakeholders about sustainable forestry.

S.B. 345 ensures that W.G. Jones State Forest remains in its natural, scenic, open-space, and undeveloped state. Furthermore, S.B. 345 also protects 100 percent of the land in the Jones State Forest. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 345 amends current law relating to the use of land in the William Goodrich Jones State Forest.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 88, Education Code, by adding Section 88.1085, as follows:

Sec. 88.1085. USE OF LAND IN WILLIAM GOODRICH JONES STATE FOREST. (a) Defines "Jones State Forest" as the real property owned by the state for the use and benefit of The Texas A&M University System to demonstrate reforestation work and forest management work under the Texas A&M Forest Service, consisting of approximately 1,722 acres in Montgomery County, and formally dedicated and named the William Goodrich Jones State Forest.

(b) Requires the entire territory of the Jones State Forest, except as provided by Subsection (c), to remain natural, scenic, undeveloped, and open in a manner that maintains the tree canopy cover of the forest. Prohibits a statute, rule, policy, or ordinance from being enforced with respect to the territory of the Jones State Forest, other than a statute, rule, policy, or ordinance that protects and preserves the natural resources, air quality, or water quality of the Jones State Forest.

(c) Provides that this section does not preclude the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), for the current operation or future expansion of Farm‑to-Market Road 1488, from using an easement that is owned by the state for the benefit of TxDOT for a highway purpose or acquiring an additional interest in real property.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2019.