By: Ashby (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst) H.B. No. 4609          (In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2023;   May 5, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Water,   Agriculture & Rural Affairs; May 19, 2023, reported favorably by   the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 19, 2023, sent to printer.)Click here to see the committee vote         COMMITTEE VOTE              YeaNayAbsentPNV          PerryX          HancockX          BlancoX          FloresX          GutierrezX          JohnsonX          KolkhorstX          SparksX          SpringerX     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT     relating to a study by the Texas A&M Forest Service of the potential   effects of wildfires in this state.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS. In this Act:                (1)  "Fuel loading" means the amount of combustible   material in a defined space expressed quantitatively in terms of   weight of fuel per unit area.                (2)  "Service" means the Texas A&M Forest Service.          SECTION 2.  STUDY. (a) The service shall conduct a study to   determine the status and condition of fuel loading in wildfire risk   zones in this state and the corresponding risk of wildfire to the   residents, homes, businesses, and ecology of this state.          (b)  In conducting the study, the service shall:                (1)  establish wildfire risk zones based on fuel   loading and the risk of wildfire to the residents, homes,   businesses, and ecology of this state within geographic areas   defined by the service; and                (2)  solicit and consider information from:                      (A)  the Department of Public Safety;                      (B)  the Department of Agriculture, including the   Prescribed Burning Board;                      (C)  the Texas Division of Emergency Management;                      (D)  the Parks and Wildlife Department;                      (E)  the Texas Commission on Environmental   Quality;                      (F)  the State Soil and Water Conservation Board;                      (G)  the comptroller of public accounts; and                      (H)  other natural resource representatives as   necessary.          (c)  The study must:                (1)  for each wildfire risk zone established under   Subsection (b)(1) of this section, consider:                      (A)  the risk that fuel loading poses;                      (B)  the projected loss of life, property, and   natural resources should a wildfire occur in the zone;                      (C)  the financial impact of costs associated   with:                            (i)  reconstruction in the zone after a   wildfire;                            (ii)  potential loss of production in the   natural resource and agricultural industries in the zone after a   wildfire; and                            (iii)  fuel loading mitigation and asset   hardening in the zone; and                      (D)  whether the money invested in fuel loading   mitigation in the zone exceeds or is less than the value of property   protected by the investment and the amount of the excess or   shortage;                (2)  assess the overall economic benefits to this state   of:                      (A)  prescribed burning;                      (B)  fuel loading control for wildfire   prevention; and                      (C)  public investment in fuel loading reduction   projects; and                (3)  recommend changes to existing law to ensure that   public and private natural resource managers have the authority and   ability to appropriately mitigate fuel loading risks in each   established risk zone.          SECTION 3.  REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2024, the   service shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the   speaker of the house of representatives, and each standing   committee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over the   service or another state agency from which information is solicited   under this Act a written report that includes a summary of the study   and any legislative recommendations based on the study.          SECTION 4.  EXPIRATION. This Act expires May 1, 2025.          SECTION 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect   immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members   elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas   Constitution.  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for   immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.     * * * * *