BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1930

By: Hinojosa, Juan "Chuy"

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill sponsor has informed the committee that more than one million saltwater fishing licenses are purchased in Texas each year. Along with that license, fishers are also required to purchase a saltwater sportfishing stamp, as freshwater fishers are required to purchase a freshwater fishing stamp. The purpose of each stamp is to provide a specific source of revenue dedicated to certain purposes relating to the management, restoration, and growth of fish populations in those environments. However, the bill sponsor has informed the committee that since the saltwater sportfishing stamp's origin, the revenue from that stamp has instead gone into the Fund 9 Game, Fish, and Water Safety Account along with all other revenue from hunting and fishing license sales. S.B. 1930 seeks to address this issue by clarifying and updating the authorized uses of net receipts from the sale of saltwater sportfishing stamps.

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

S.B. 1930 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to change the requirement for saltwater sportfishing stamp sale net receipts to be spent for coastal fisheries enforcement and management to an authorization for such receipts to be spent only for coastal fisheries management, including the following:

· repair, maintenance, renovation, and construction of saltwater fish hatcheries in Texas and facilities supporting the management of and research related to saltwater fisheries;

· restoration, enhancement, and management of saltwater fish habitats;

· development of shoreline-based projects allowing saltwater angler access; and

· purchase of licenses under a license buyback program authorized by statutory provisions relating to the oyster license moratorium program and the finfish, shrimp, and crab license management programs.

The bill removes the specification that the stamp sale net receipts are appropriated for the purposes of coastal fisheries enforcement and management. The bill applies only to receipts from the sale of saltwater fishing stamps collected on or after the bill's effective date. Receipts from the sale of saltwater fishing stamps collected before the bill's effective date are governed by the law in effect immediately before that date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.