BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 504

By: White

County Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There have been calls to allow fireworks to be sold to the public for the celebration of the Juneteenth holiday. C.S.H.B. 504 seeks to provide for the sale of fireworks on and before June 19.

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. 504 amends the Occupations Code to authorize a retail fireworks permit holder to sell fireworks to the public for the Juneteenth holiday during the period beginning June 14 and ending at midnight on June 19 in a county in which the commissioners court has approved the sale of fireworks during the period.

C.S.H.B. 504 amends the Local Government Code to require the Texas A&M Forest Service to make its services available each day during the Juneteenth holiday fireworks season to respond to a county request to determine whether drought conditions exist on average in the county. The bill sets the deadline by which the county commissioners court must adopt an order prohibiting or restricting the sale or use of restricted fireworks in the unincorporated area of the county based on a drought determination for that fireworks season.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 504 differs from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways by conforming to certain bill drafting conventions.