BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2416

By: Paul

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Texas Legislature has made significant policy and financial commitments to the development of two large infrastructure projects with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Coastal Texas Program, and the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Program, which were established to serve state and national interests by protecting the citizens, environment, and industries along the Texas Gulf Coast. The 87th Legislature also created the Gulf Coast Protection District as a partner on those projects. The protection district receives state-appropriated dollars through the General Land Office (GLO) to perform administrative, pre-engineering, and design services and works with USACE at all levels of the projects. As a non-federal sponsor, the protection district also matches federal funds for applicable projects. H.B. 2416 seeks to create the gulf coast protection trust fund located outside the treasury and administered by the GLO for the payment of expenditures for the development of infrastructure necessary or useful for protecting the gulf coast within the territory of the Gulf Coast Protection District.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the General Land Office in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2416 amends the Natural Resources Code to create the gulf coast protection trust fund as a trust fund outside the treasury with the comptroller of public accounts that is administered by the General Land Office (GLO) and rules adopted by the GLO. The bill restricts the use of the fund to the payment of expenditures for the development of infrastructure necessary or useful for protecting the gulf coast within the territory of the Gulf Coast Protection District. The bill establishes that the fund consists of money from gifts, grants, or donations to the GLO for the protection of the gulf coast or any other source designated by the legislature. The bill authorizes the GLO to invest, reinvest, and direct the investment of any available money in the fund, which may be invested in a manner consistent with Government Code provisions relating to state depositories and the investment of state funds.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.