HBA-NRS H.B. 2405 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2405
By: Gray
County Affairs
4/8/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

On the Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County there have been repeated
incidents of people organizing mass gatherings. The Bolivar Peninsula is an
unincorporated area and is not subject to many county regulations. Due to
lack of regulation, these gatherings have resulted in large amounts of
trash being deposited on the beach, and issues relating to security of the
area, including reported acts of violence. House Bill 2405 authorizes the
commissioners court of a county bordering on the Gulf of Mexico to regulate
mass gatherings of individuals on any beach in the unincorporated area of
the county. 

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 2405 amends the Natural Resources Code authorize the
commissioners court of a county bordering on the Gulf of Mexico or its
tidewater limits, by order, to regulate mass gatherings of individuals on
any beach in the unincorporated area of the county by requiring a person to
obtain a permit and pay a permit fee before the person may hold a mass
gathering. The bill sets forth provisions regarding the application and
issuance of a permit. The bill entitles the county to appropriate
injunctive relief to prevent the violation or threatened violation of such
an order. An offense committed regarding the regulation of mass gatherings
is a Class B misdemeanor.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

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