BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 563

By: Perry

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that there is currently no centralized location for stakeholders and local entities to find information on federal funding available for flood control projects or mitigation. S.B. 563 seeks to provide such a resource by requiring state agencies receiving or disbursing relevant federal funds to make a quarterly report on that funding to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and by requiring the TWDB to publish an online database containing the information received.

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

S.B. 563 amends the Government Code to require an applicable state agency that uses or disburses federal money for flood research, planning, or mitigation projects to submit a report on a quarterly basis to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). The report must include the original total of federal money received, the amount of the federal money spent or disbursed to date, and the eligibility requirements for receiving the federal money.

S.B. 563 amends the Water Code to require the TWDB to maintain and make available on the TWDB website a publicly accessible database of the information submitted in the reports required by the bill.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.