HBA-JLV H.B. 779 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 779
By: Uher
Land & Resource Management
26/12/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The line of vegetation is the line that separates the public beach easement
from private use property.  The line of vegetation does not have a fixed
location and can shift as a result of erosion.  Therefore what was once
private property could have become subject to a public beach easement.
House Bill 779 provides that, in certain areas,  the line of vegetation is
along the seaward side of a stone revetment.  

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 779 amends the Natural Resources Code to provide that in an area
of public beach where a combination stone revetment and concrete sheet pile
wall, with specific characteristics, interrupts the natural line of
vegetation, the line of vegetation is along the landward boundary of that
strip of land conveyed to the United States of America for the construction
of the stone revetment and concrete sheet pile wall and for the distance
marked by the stone revetment and concrete sheet pile wall.  The bill
provides that a line of vegetation established is the landward boundary of
the public beach and of the public easement. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.