By Stiles, Wilson, Berlanga, Craddick, H.B. No. 1642
Linebarger, et al.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the process under which state agencies and other
1-3 entities are periodically reviewed under the Texas Sunset Act.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 325, Government Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Section 325.025 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 325.025. REVIEW OF SUNSET. (a) The Select Committee
1-8 on Sunset Review is composed of 10 members appointed as follows:
1-9 (1) four members must be state senators and are
1-10 appointed by the lieutenant governor;
1-11 (2) one member must be a representative of the general
1-12 public and is appointed by the lieutenant governor;
1-13 (3) four members must be state representatives and are
1-14 appointed by the speaker of the house; and
1-15 (4) one member must be a representative of the general
1-16 public and is appointed by the speaker of the house.
1-17 (b) The lieutenant governor shall designate one of the
1-18 lieutenant governor's appointees as the initial presiding officer
1-19 of the committee, and the speaker of the house shall designate one
1-20 of the speaker's appointees as the initial assistant presiding
1-21 officer. The initial presiding officer and initial assistant
1-22 presiding officer serve in those capacities for a period ending
1-23 June 1, 1994. The speaker of the house shall designate the
1-24 succeeding presiding officer, and the lieutenant governor shall
2-1 designate the succeeding assistant presiding officer.
2-2 (c) Each member of the committee is entitled to
2-3 reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in
2-4 performing functions as a member of the committee. A legislative
2-5 member is entitled to reimbursement from the appropriate fund of
2-6 the member's house. A public member is entitled to reimbursement
2-7 from funds appropriated or made available to the committee.
2-8 (d) The committee shall meet at the call of the presiding
2-9 officer of the committee and as provided by the rules of the
2-10 committee.
2-11 (e) The committee may make an agreement with the state
2-12 senate or house of representatives, an institution of higher
2-13 education, a consulting firm, or any other entity as necessary for
2-14 the committee to obtain adequate staff to conduct the review.
2-15 (f) The committee shall review the performance of the
2-16 commission and the process by which state agencies are reviewed by
2-17 the commission. In the review, the committee shall:
2-18 (1) apply to the commission and consider the factors
2-19 described by Sections 325.011(1), (2), (4), and (5);
2-20 (2) consider other factors the committee considers
2-21 appropriate to perform a thorough review; and
2-22 (3) examine specifically the extent to which functions
2-23 of the commission are duplicated, or can be performed more
2-24 efficiently or effectively, by a committee of the state senate or
2-25 house of representatives or by another state legislative or
2-26 executive agency.
2-27 (g) The committee shall prepare a report containing its
3-1 findings from the review and its recommendations on improving the
3-2 process by which state agencies are reviewed and by which oversight
3-3 of the agencies is performed. The committee shall give the report
3-4 to the 74th Legislature when it convenes in 1995.
3-5 (h) This section expires June 1, 1995.
3-6 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
3-7 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.