BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1600

By: Canales

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A number of state entities underwent review by the Texas Sunset Commission during the 2020‑2021 review cycle and are scheduled to be abolished in September 2021 unless continued by the legislature. H.B. 1600, the biennial "Sunset safety net bill," seeks to continue 20 of these entities for two years to protect against the unintended abolishment of an entity should the legislature fail to enact specific legislation continuing the entity.

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. 1600 amends the Agriculture Code, Education Code, Finance Code, Government Code, Health and Safety Code, Occupations Code, and Parks and Wildlife Code to continue the following state governmental entities and related state law, as applicable, until 2023 and to provide for the next review of those entities under the Texas Sunset Act during the 2022-2023 sunset review cycle:

· the Department of Agriculture;

· the board of directors of the official cotton growers' boll weevil eradication foundation;

· the Texas Animal Health Commission;

· the Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board;

· the Credit Union Department;

· the Credit Union Commission;

· the Texas Commission on Fire Protection;

· the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission;

· the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office;

· the Commission on Jail Standards;

· the Office of State-Federal Relations;

· the Anatomical Board of the State of Texas;

· the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation;

· the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation;

· the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners;

· the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement;

· the Texas Racing Commission; and

· the Parks and Wildlife Department.

H.B. 1600 amends the Government Code and Special District Local Laws Code to provide for the next sunset review of the board of trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and the Brazos River Authority during the 2022-2023 sunset review cycle.

H.B. 1600 establishes that if a conflict exists between H.B. 1600 and another bill enacted by the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, that extends the sunset date of a governmental entity, the provisions of the other bill control without regard to the relative dates of enactment.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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