BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3088

By: Orr

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that state competitive bidding requirements hamper the ability of TPWD to offer site-specific goods for resale at state park gift shops and other concession operations and that, while bidding requirements remain necessary, their current structure focuses on purchases for or related to agency consumption rather than purchases for retail operations. The bill author has further informed the committee that these requirements have led to TPWD having difficulty procuring private concessionaires and items for locations across the state. C.S.H.B. 3088 seeks to address this issue and allow TPWD to more easily acquire site-specific and customized products by granting TPWD targeted authority to procure goods and services related to items for resale by TPWD.

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. 3088 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to authorize the Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), for purposes of meeting TPWD's business needs and increasing revenue potential, to procure goods and services related to items for resale by TPWD by any method approved by the Parks and Wildlife Commission, provided the method provides the best value to TPWD.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3088 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.

With respect to meeting the business needs of TPWD and increasing revenue potential, whereas the introduced authorized TPWD's executive director to establish standards and procedures for purchasing goods for resale by TPWD and established that those standards and procedures are not required to satisfy state procurement requirements related to competitive bidding or the use of state contracts, the substitute instead authorizes TPWD to procure goods and services related to items for resale by TPWD by any method approved by the Parks and Wildlife Commission, provided the method provides the best value to TPWD.