HBA-CBW H.B. 2907 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2907
By: Burnam
Land & Resource Management
4/19/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, there is no established process by which state lands are
surveyed before they are sold. The State of Texas owns a significant amount
of land that does not get surveyed for the purposes of conservation and
recreation.  The General Land Office's Asset and Management Division may
recommend the selling of land which the governor or legislature may then
approve.  However, there are some state agencies that may sell their lands
without notifying the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), the
agency responsible for conservation and recreation, and without gaining
consent from the General Land Office.    House Bill 2907 requires each
state agency to notify TPWD before the proposed sale of stateowned land and
requires TPWD to complete a review of such lands. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2907 amends the Natural Resources Code to provide that not later
than the 120th day before the date of a proposed sale, each state agency
must notify the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)  of any proposed
sale of real property owned by the state.  The bill requires TPWD  to
complete a review of the land proposed for sale to determine its value to
the state for conservation or recreation purposes not later than the 60th
day after receiving notification.  The bill sets forth provisions regarding
a memorandum of understanding with TPWD and the General Land Office.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.