HBA-RBT H.B. 3417 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3417
By: Counts
Agriculture & Livestock
3/24/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

H.B. 3417 transfers Section 481.0067 (Office of Rural Affairs), Government
Code, to Section 12.038, Agriculture Code. 

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 481.0067, Government Code, to redesignate it to
Section 12.038, Chapter 12, Agriculture Code. 

SECTION 2.  (a) Effective date: September 1, 1999.
           
(b) Provides that as soon as practicable after the effective date of this
Act, but not later than January 1, 2000, all powers, duties, rights and
obligations of the Texas Department of Economic Development relating to the
Office of Rural Affairs are transferred to the commissioner of agriculture
and the Department of Agriculture; and that all assets, liabilities,
personnel, equipment, data, documents, facilities, and other items relating
to the Office of Rural Affairs are transferred from the Texas Department of
Economic Development to the Department of Agriculture, and any
appropriation to the Texas Department of Economic Development relating to
the Office of Rural Affairs is transferred to the Department of
Agriculture. 

(c) Authorizes the governing board of the Texas Department of Economic
Development to decide whether to transfer to the Department of Agriculture
personnel and assets that relate to the Office of Rural Affairs as well as
that do not relate to the Office of Rural Affairs. 

(d) Requires the officers and employees of the Texas Department of Economic
Development and the Department of Agriculture to cooperate fully with the
transfer. 

(e) Requires the transfer of functions under Subsection (b) of this section
to occur on the date specified in an interagency contract. 

(f) Makes application of this Act prospective.

(g) Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.