By:  Smith, Ashley                                     H.B. No. 206
       73R1796 JRD-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the participation of the Central Education Agency in
    1-3  state telecommunications management and coordination.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Sections 10.02(c), (d), and (e), State Purchasing
    1-6  and General Services Act (Article 601b, Vernon's Texas Civil
    1-7  Statutes), are amended to read as follows:
    1-8        (c)  The commission, Department of Information Resources,
    1-9  Central Education Agency, and comptroller shall jointly develop
   1-10  functional requirements for a statewide system of
   1-11  telecommunications services for all state agencies.  Existing
   1-12  networks, as configured on the effective date of this subsection,
   1-13  of institutions of higher education are exempt.
   1-14        (d)  The commission, Department of Information Resources,
   1-15  Central Education Agency, and comptroller shall develop requests
   1-16  for information and proposals for a statewide system of
   1-17  telecommunications services for all state agencies.
   1-18        (e)  The commission, Department of Information Resources,
   1-19  Central Education Agency, and comptroller shall negotiate rates and
   1-20  execute contracts with telecommunications service providers for
   1-21  services.  Those entities may acquire transmission facilities by
   1-22  purchase, lease, or lease-purchase, which shall be done on a
   1-23  competitive bid basis if possible.  Those entities may develop,
   1-24  establish, and maintain carrier systems necessary to the operation
    2-1  of the telecommunications system.  The commission may own, lease,
    2-2  or lease-purchase any or all of the facilities or equipment
    2-3  necessary to provide telecommunications services.
    2-4        SECTION 2.  Section 9A(b), Information Resources Management
    2-5  Act (Article 4413(32j), Revised Statutes), is amended to read as
    2-6  follows:
    2-7        (b)  The department, comptroller, Central Education Agency,
    2-8  and <State Purchasing and> General Services Commission shall
    2-9  develop a statewide telecommunications operating plan for all
   2-10  agencies that implements a statewide network and includes technical
   2-11  specifications that are binding on the managing and operating
   2-12  agency.
   2-13        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-14  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-15  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-16  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-17  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-18  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   2-19  passage, and it is so enacted.