BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1817

By: Shaheen

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, the comptroller of public accounts has 20 days after receiving a written justification from a state agency for a proprietary purchase to issue a solicitation of bids. Because of this short window, the comptroller is often unable to fully examine all facets of the requested purchase to ensure that taxpayer dollars are being wisely spent. H.B. 1817 seeks to remove the 20-day deadline while also increasing efficiencies for other state agencies by allowing the agency head to delegate the responsibility to sign the purchase justification.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1817 amends the Government Code to remove the requirement for the comptroller of public accounts to issue an invitation to bid on a proprietary purchase not later than the 20th day after the date of receiving a state agency's written justification for the specification or conditions of the purchase. The bill requires that the comptroller instead, on receipt of the written justification and any other documentation required by the comptroller and on approval of the purchase request, proceed with the purchase for the requesting state agency or delegate to the agency the authority to purchase the product, without prescribing a deadline for the comptroller to take a particular action. The bill gives the head of the requesting agency or the presiding officer of the agency's governing body the option to designate another person to sign the written justification for the agency as an alternative to doing so themselves.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.