Presenter: Ann Bright

Commission Agenda Item No. 4
Action
Advisory Committee Rule Amendments
March 2008

I. Executive Summary: Staff is recommending that the Commission adopt revisions to the advisory committee rules regarding the two game bird advisory committees and adopt the repeal of the advisory committee rule regarding the Operation Game Thief Committee.

II. Discussion: As required by Chapter 2110 of the Government Code and Section 11.0162 of the Parks and Wildlife Code, the Commission previously adopted rules governing TPWD advisory committees. Current rules address the Game Bird Advisory Board and the Texas Quail Council. TPWD staff will present a recommendation that these two committees be eliminated and replaced with an Upland Game Bird Advisory Board and a Migratory Game Bird Advisory Board. The proposed Upland Game Bird Advisory Board and the Migratory Game Bird Advisory Board will be subject to the same restrictions as other TPWD advisory committees.

Current advisory committee rules also address the Operation Game Thief (OGT) Committee. After further review of the OGT statute (Parks & Wild. Code §12.202), it appears that the OGT Committee does not meet the definition of an advisory committee in Chapter 2110 of the Government Code. Also, more specific rules regarding OGT and the OGT Committee are located at Chapter 55, Subchapter D of TPWD's rules. Therefore, staff proposes repeal of the advisory committee rule regarding the OGT.

III. Recommendation: The following is the recommended Commission motion:

"The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission adopts the repeal of 31 Tex. Admin. Code §51.651, and amendments to §§51.607 and 51.608, with changes as necessary to the proposed text as published in the February 22, 2008, issue of the Texas Register (33 Tex. Reg. 1490)."

Attachments - 1

  1. Exhibit A – Proposal