BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1924 By: Maxey 04-30-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The State of Texas spends about $70,000 a year to purchase copies of the Official State Mileage Guide, issued by the Statistical Research Service in Austin. Intercity travelers are required to use the guide to calculate distances between cities in order to receive reimbursement from the state. Because of continuous highway construction, the shortest routes between cities change, quickly outdating the guide. Thus the state must purchase guides annually to fulfill obligations to the law. The system would be made more accurate and cost-effective by creating an electronic state mileage guide which would be flexible to changes and updates. PURPOSE H.B. 1924 encourages state agencies to develop and use an electronic gas mileage guide. The state would produce a hard-copy version to accommodate smaller offices lacking the necessary computer hardware. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 660.053, Government Code, requiring state agencies to adopt a mileage guide available in both electronic and printed forms that provides information on the shortest routes and distances between cities. The guide will be updated only as necessary rather than the mandated yearly reissue. The comptroller will encourage the use of the electronic mileage guide and prescribe the circumstances for use of the guide. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995 SECTION 3. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION Pursuant to posting of public hearing the House Committee on State Affairs convened in a public hearing on April 19, 1995. The Chair laid out HB 1924 and recognized Rep. Maxey to explain the bill. The Chair recognized the following person to testify neutrally on the bill: Roger Vallejo representing the State Comptroller's Office. The Chair recognized Rep. Maxey to close. The Chair left HB 1924 pending. In a public hearing on April 24, 1995 the Chair laid out HB 1924. The bill was reported favorably without amendment with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed, and be sent to the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, by a record vote of 13 ayes, 0 nay, 0 pnv and 2 absent.