BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1089

By: Paul

Natural Resources

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that the Texas Legislature has made significant policy and financial commitments to the development of two large infrastructure projects with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which are the Coastal Texas Project and the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Coastal Storm Risk Management Program. These projects were established to serve state and national interests by protecting the citizens, environment, and industries along the Texas Gulf Coast. The legislature, in the 87th Regular Session, created the Gulf Coast Protection District as a partner on these projects. The district receives state-appropriated funds through the General Land Office to perform administrative, pre-engineering, and design services and works with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at all project levels. As a nonfederal sponsor, the district also matches federal funds for applicable projects. H.B. 1089 seeks to help further these efforts by establishing the gulf coast protection account as a dedicated account to pay for certain expenditures related to qualifying projects.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the General Land Office in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1089 amends the Natural Resources Code to establish the gulf coast protection account as a dedicated account in the general revenue fund administered by the General Land Office (GLO) under the bill's provisions and rules adopted by the GLO. The account consists of the following:

·money from gifts, donations, and grants; and

·money appropriated, credited, or transferred to the account by the legislature.

H.B. 1089 restricts the use of money in the account to payment for expenditures that:

·are necessary to fulfill nonfederal sponsor obligations under agreements with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for implementing projects included in the plan recommended by the Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study Final Report and Final Environmental Impact Statement dated August 2021 issued by the Galveston District, Southwestern Division, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the GLO;

·comply with the terms of a local cooperation agreement executed by the GLO and the Gulf Coast Protection District; and

·are for the following projects:

oprojects that are necessary or useful for the protection of the portion of the gulf coast located within the district's territory; or

oprojects that would benefit the district and are designated as Coastal Storm Risk Management Projects within the Coastal Texas Study.

The bill establishes a legislative finding that the expenditure of money in the account in accordance with these provisions of the bill serves a public purpose. The bill subjects the expenditure of money in the account to audit by the state auditor.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.