BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1620

By: Holland

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

H.B. 1620, the sunset safety net bill, continues the 11 agencies that underwent review by the Sunset Advisory Commission during the most recent review cycle until 2025. If any of one these agency's separate sunset bills do not pass, this bill ensures the agency will not be abolished. Instead, the agency would be continued for two years and subject to a full sunset review again during the 2024-2025 review cycle. The bill specifies if other legislation passes this session that continues any of these agencies, the other legislation controls.

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

H.B. 1620 amends the Agriculture Code, Government Code, Health and Safety Code, Human Resources Code, Occupations Code, Utilities Code, and Water Code to continue the following state governmental entities and related state law, as applicable, until 2025 and to provide for the next review of those entities under the Texas Sunset Act during the 2024-2025 review cycle:

·         the Anatomical Board of the State of Texas;

·         the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office;

·         the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality;

·         the Texas Juvenile Justice Board;

·         the Texas Juvenile Justice Department;

·         the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement;

·         the Public Utility Commission of Texas;

·         the Office of Public Utility Counsel;

·         the State Soil and Water Conservation Board;

·         the Office of State-Federal Relations; and

·         the Texas Water Development Board.

H.B. 1620 amends Section 1-a(a), Chapter 276, Acts of the 45th Legislature, Regular Session, 1937, to continue the San Antonio River Authority until 2025 and provide for its next review under the Texas Sunset Act during the 2024-2025 review cycle.

H.B. 1620 establishes that if a conflict exists between it provisions and another act of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, that extends the sunset date of a governmental entity, the provisions of the other act control without regard to the relative dates of enactment.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.