BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 751
By: Horn
February 23, 1995
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Currently, state law mandates that the County Auditor make audits
of the jail commissary on at least a quarterly basis.  Complete
audits this regularly are impractical and often unwarranted.  


PURPOSE

This bill would amend Chapter 351.0415 of the Local Government Code
to require an audit be conducted at least once each county fiscal
year.  However, this new language would not prevent the County
Auditor from conducting more regular audits should they be
requested by the commissioner's court


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of this committee that this bill does not grant
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.


SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

     SECTION 1.     Section 351.0415, Local Government Code,
Subsection (d), is amended by      striking the quarterly
requirement for auditing county jail commissary accounts and     replacing it with a minimum yearly requirement.  The county
commissioner is given the     authority to request additional
audits.
     
     SECTION 2.     Effective Date


     SECTION 3.     Emergency Clause


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

Pursuant to public notice posted on February 16, 1995, the
Committee on County Affairs met in a public hearing on February 22,
1995 to consider HB 751. The chair laid out HB 751 and recognized
Representative Horn to explain the bill. Representative Horn
explained the bill and closed. There was no testimony offered on
the bill. The motion that HB 751 be favorably reported to the full
house with the recommendation that it do pass and be placed on the
Local and Consent Calendar prevailed on the following vote: 8 Ayes,
0 Nays, 0 Present-not-voting, 1 Absent.