BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 837

By: Raymond

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law restricts state agencies from using appropriated money for the purpose of publicity. This restriction makes agencies that require recruitment efforts to conduct operations, such as the Texas State Guard, unable to advertise, causing declining rates of enlistment. C.S.H.B. 837 seeks to address this issue by providing for the Texas State Guard to use appropriated funds for purposes of recruitment or retainment.

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. 837 amends the Government Code to establish that the prohibitions against a state agency using appropriated money for certain publicity activities do not prohibit the Texas State Guard from using appropriated money for the purpose of recruiting or retaining service members, employees, or other personnel.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 837 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute changes the entity exempt from the prohibition on state agencies using appropriated money for the purpose of recruiting or retaining personnel from the Texas Military Department or the Texas military forces, as in the introduced, to the Texas State Guard.