Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 2914 amends various laws relating to state government operations and fiscal management. Among other provisions, it clarifies when the legislature has waived or not waived state sovereign immunity, increases state employee longevity pay and amends related laws and those involving hazardous duty pay, and creates a task force to evaluate state employee compensation systems. The bill grants the comptroller powers relating to obtaining and holding intellectual property rights, revises laws relating to emergency communications and transfers related fee administration to the comptroller, and establishes new reporting duties for the comptroller relating to franchise tax credits and to tax exemption and tax incidence evaluation.

            The bill consolidates state government energy conservation functions, previously at the General Services Commission, in the comptroller's office. It creates the Product Development and Small Business and Incubator Board to coordinate the administration and funding of product development and small business incubator programs, creates the Trust Company Investment Advisory Board to advise the comptroller on assets of the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company, and revises laws governing state agency advisory committees generally.

            The bill authorizes a Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission reimbursement program for certain pipeline emissions, creates an associated emissions reductions incentives account, and makes related appropriations. It appropriates $15 million to the Texas Forest Service for FY2003 for rural volunteer fire department assistance, $2 million to the Texas State Technical College for FY2002-FY2003 for institutional enhancement, and certain fee amounts to Sam Houston State University for its Correctional Management Institute, in addition to certain other appropriations transfers and contingent fee provisions.

            Bill provisions have various effective dates.