The 89th Texas Legislature is in session. For those who may not have heard, there is a bill in the mix that has spurred some serious debate among the state’s outdoor community.
Filed March 13 by State Rep. Pat Curry (R-Waco), House Bill 4938 calls for the dismantling of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the TPW Commission. If passed, the bill would shift TPWD’s functions, funding and responsibilities to three other state agencies this September.
According to the bill:
• The Texas General Land Office would oversee parks, natural areas, wildlife management areas, fish hatcheries, historic sites and public lands.
• The Department of Agriculture would oversee fishing, wildlife and native plants.
• The Department of Public Safety would oversee law enforcement, game wardens, water safety and boating regulations, including titling.
The bill indicates current TPWD employees would be transferred to the appropriate agencies.
Curry is a member of the Texas House of Representatives’ newly established Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency. The 13-member panel is charged with improving the effectiveness and efficiency of state government operations.
Curry did not return phone calls for comment about the bill, but he has commented to other news outlets and made social media posts indicating the legislation is largely about reform and improving department rules and regulations associated with the management of chronic wasting disease.
“The intent of this bill is really to start a conversation and get a conversation going with the commission on let’s work together with the legislature on some of these rules instead of letting rules stomp on the rights of landowners and small business and legislatures,” he said in a March 18 Fort Worth Star Telegram report.
On March 15, the Pat Curry for Texas Facebook page issued a statement in response to a reader comment about the bill.
“As a small business owner, rancher, farmer, hunter, and deer breeder, I have the utmost respect for our game wardens,” the statement reads. “My legislation is not an indictment on the game warden community. Rather, the reforms I’ve offered are an attempt to improve upon a critical agency that’s lost its way when it comes to fulfilling its role of protecting landowners, farmers, ranchers, parks, water ways, the hunting community, and business rights - which includes the deer breeding industry which accounts for hundreds of millions of dollars to the Texas economy.”
Curry has introduced several other bills this session that are related to the management of CWD, deer breeding and deer ownership. Another calls for the abolishment of the Texas Animal Health Commission, an agency that works closely with TPWD in overseeing captive deer populations. You can review these bills at legiscan.com/TX/people/ pat-curry/id/25225.
Another bill of interest – SB 2654 – was filed earlier this month by Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood). The bill aims to make penraised white-tailed deer private property. Curry’s HB4939 is identical.
Notably, both bills go against a 2020 Texas Supreme Court decision reaffirming that all of the state’s white-tailed deer, including those held in breeder pens, are owned by the public.
HB 1379 filed by State Rep. Wes Virdell (R-Brady) is another bill getting a lot of attention. If passed, the bill would prohibit game wardens from entering private property unless they have permission from the property owner, probable cause, are executing a warrant or in emergency situations.
TPWD typically does not comment on specific bills, but the agency did provide a statement regarding HB 4938 due to a large number of inquiries about it.
“The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is proud of the important role our agency plays in managing Texas land and waters in coordination with our partners and private landowners to provide for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation. Our 89 state parks welcome more than 9 million visitors each year. The Texas legislature has an existing Sunset Commission that reviews the efficacy of all state agencies, and TPWD underwent that process in 2021, which authorized continuance of the agency for 12 years.”
Contact your local elected officials to comment or Pat Curry, 512-463-0135; Bob Hall, 512-463-0102 or Wes Virdell, 512-4630536.
Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches, mattwillwrite4u@ yahoo.com.
The passage of HB 4938 would abolish the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and shift its functions, funding and responsibilities to other state agencies. According to the bill, fish hatcheries would be managed by the Texas General Land Office, while the Department of Agriculture would oversee fish and wildlife. Game Wardens would be overseen by the Department of Public Safety. Photo by Matt Williams
