HBA-JRA H.B. 1592 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1592
By: Junell
Agriculture & Livestock
3/8/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In 1985, the 69th Texas Legislature adopted S.B. 1083, establishing a
cost-share program between state and private landowners for brush
management work.  Management of the program was assigned to the Texas Soil
and Water Conservation Board.  The maximum state share of funding was
capped at 70 percent, the remainder being the responsibility of the
landowner.  In 1997, the 75th Legislature passed S.B. 1, the new state
water plan.  This legislation specifically noted the benefit of brush
management as a method for conserving, conveying, and developing state
water resources and maintaining and enhancing water quality.  Since that
time, there has been renewed interest in brush control as a means of
increasing water yield and decreasing the cost of water in some areas of
Texas. In December of 1998 the comptroller recommended that the legislature
appropriate $300,000 to fund brush control projects and that landowners not
be required to share in the cost.  (Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Fifth Texas Performance Review, December 1998). 

H.B. 1592 raises the maximum state share of funding in brush control
projects to 80 percent of the total cost of a single brush control project. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 203.154(a), Agriculture Code, to provide that no
more than 80, rather than 70, percent of the total cost of a single brush
control project may be made available as the state's share in cost sharing. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.