HBA-NIK S.B. 627 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 627 By: Truan State Recreational Resources 4/27/1999 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas owns state park land within a few miles of the Rio Grande River under the jurisdiction of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Federal agencies that are responsible for patrolling the border, interdiction of contraband, and capture of illegal immigrants have general powers to pursue suspects across land, regardless of its ownership. State parkland is particularly vulnerable to damage from off-road vehicles. S.B. 627 directs TPWD to coordinate with federal, state, and local agencies to mitigate environmental damage to TPWD land along the state's border with Mexico. 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 13.303, Parks and Wildlife Code, to require the Parks and Wildlife Department to implement programs and coordinate with departments and agencies of the federal government, including the United States Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other departments of state and local government, if necessary, to mitigate environmental damage to any land under the control and custody of the Parks and Wildlife Department along this state's border with Mexico. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Amendment # 1 Amends Section 13.303, Parks and Wildlife Code, to require the department to implement programs and coordinate with departments and agencies of the federal government, including the United States Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other departments of state and local government, if necessary, to minimize, rather than mitigate, environmental damage to any land under the control and custody of the Parks and Wildlife Department along this state's border with Mexico.