BILL ANALYSIS


                                                    C.S.H.B. 1647
                                              By: Pitts (Ratliff)
                                      Intergovernmental Relations
                                                          4-28-95
                            Senate Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND

City planning services are generally considered professional
services and so should be purchased by cities through a request for
proposal (RFP) process or negotiated service contract.  In some
areas, confusion exists on type of service and planning services
are solicited under the sealed competitive bid process.  Engineers
are prohibited from using that system under other statutes so they
are precluded from pursuing those contracts.

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.H.B. 1647 amends provisions relating to the
purchasing and contracting authority of municipalities.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 252.001, Local Government Code, as
follows:

     Sec. 252.001.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "planning services" to
     mean services primarily intended to guide governmental policy
     to ensure the orderly and coordinated development of the state
     or of municipal, county, metropolitan, or regional land areas. 
     Redesignates existing Subdivisions (5)-(7) to Subdivisions
     (6)-(8).
     
SECTION 2. Amends Section 252.022(a), Local Government Code, to
provide that Chapter 252 of this code does not apply to an
expenditure for, among others, a procurement for planning services.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.