BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1598
88R9632 LRM-D	By: Hancock
	Veteran Affairs
	3/17/2023
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC) is comprised of local governments, state agencies, first responder communities, and academia. The council was created to provide advice and recommendations to the secretary of state on homeland security-related matters.

In the 83rd Legislature, three separate bills were passed and each codified different state agencies and committees that makeup. Updates are necessary in order to ensure the proper chairmen and state agencies are identified.   

S.B. 1598 removes references to specific legislative committees and adds broader terminology to ensure the committees with jurisdiction over veteran affairs and homeland security are included in the Homeland Security Advisory Council makeup.

As proposed, S.B. 1598 amends current law relating to the composition of the Homeland Security Council.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Reenacts Section 421.021(a), Government Code, as amended by Chapters 93 (S.B. 686), 616 (S.B. 1393), and 1217 (S.B. 1536), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, and amends it, as follows:

(a) Provides that the Homeland Security Council is composed of the governor or the governor's designee, the speaker of the house of representatives or the speaker's designee, the lieutenant governor or the lieutenant governor's designee, and one representative of each of the following entities, appointed by the single statewide elected or appointed governing officer, administrative head, or chair, as appropriate, of the entity:

(1)-(16) makes no changes to these subdivisions;

(17) the committee of the senate having jurisdiction over veterans affairs, rather than the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs and Military Installations;

(18) the committee of the senate having jurisdiction over homeland security, rather than the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs and Homeland Security;

(19) the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over veterans affairs, rather than the House Committee on Defense and Veterans' Affairs;

(20) the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over homeland security, rather than the House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety;

(21)-(28) makes no changes to these subdivisions.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2023.