BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        H.B. 1924
                                           By: Maxey (Barrientos)
                                                    State Affairs
                                                          5-22-95
                              Senate 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.  Therefore, the state must purchase
guides annually to fulfill obligations to the law.  The system may
be made more accurate and cost-effective by creating an electronic
and state mileage guide which would be open to changes and updates.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1924 requires state agencies to adopt a mileage
guide that is available both electronically and in a printed
version that provides information on the shortest routes and
distances between cities and is updated as necessary.

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 660.053, Government Code, as follows:

     Sec. 660.053.  DETERMINATION OF MILEAGE FOR TRAVEL BY PERSONAL
     CAR.  (a) Created from existing text.  Requires the
     comptroller, in determining the amount of a payment for travel
     by privately owned car, to adopt a mileage guide that is
     available both electronically and in a printed version that
     includes information on distances and the shortest routes
     between points in the state and to update the mileage guide as
     necessary, rather than annually.
     
     (b) Requires the comptroller to encourage the use of the
       electronic mileage guide.  Authorizes the comptroller to
       prescribe the circumstances under which a state agency may
       rely on the printed mileage guide.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.