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| 2 | + | (In the Senate - Filed March 5, 2025; March 17, 2025, read |
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| 3 | + | first time and referred to Committee on Water, Agriculture and |
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| 4 | + | Rural Affairs; March 31, 2025, reported favorably by the following |
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| 5 | + | vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; March 31, 2025, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | + | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 4 | 7 | | |
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| 5 | 8 | | |
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| 6 | 9 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 11 | | relating to the use of proceeds from the sale of saltwater fishing |
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| 9 | 12 | | stamps issued by the Parks and Wildlife Department. |
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| 10 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 14 | | SECTION 1. The heading to Section 43.405, Parks and |
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| 12 | 15 | | Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 16 | | Sec. 43.405. DISPOSITION AND USE OF STAMP [COLLECTION] |
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| 14 | 17 | | FEES. |
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| 15 | 18 | | SECTION 2. Section 43.405(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is |
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| 16 | 19 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 17 | 20 | | (b) The stamp sale net receipts may [shall] be spent only |
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| 18 | 21 | | for coastal fisheries [enforcement and] management, including: |
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| 19 | 22 | | (1) repair, maintenance, renovation, and construction |
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| 20 | 23 | | of: |
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| 21 | 24 | | (A) saltwater fish hatcheries in this state; and |
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| 22 | 25 | | (B) facilities supporting the management of and |
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| 23 | 26 | | research related to saltwater fisheries; |
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| 24 | 27 | | (2) restoration, enhancement, and management of |
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| 25 | 28 | | saltwater fish habitats; |
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| 26 | 29 | | (3) development of shoreline-based projects allowing |
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| 27 | 30 | | saltwater angler access; and |
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| 28 | 31 | | (4) purchase of licenses under a license buyback |
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| 29 | 32 | | program authorized by Section 47.081, 76.405, 77.119, or 78.111 |
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| 30 | 33 | | [and are hereby appropriated for such purposes]. |
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| 31 | 34 | | SECTION 3. Section 43.405(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, as |
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| 32 | 35 | | amended by this Act, applies only to receipts from the sale of |
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| 33 | 36 | | saltwater fishing stamps collected on or after the effective date |
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| 34 | 37 | | of this Act. Receipts from the sale of saltwater fishing stamps |
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| 35 | 38 | | collected before the effective date of this Act are governed by the |
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| 36 | 39 | | law in effect immediately before that date, and that law is |
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| 37 | 40 | | continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 38 | 41 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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