By Hightower                                          H.B. No. 3023
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to use of the open market purchase procedure for certain
    1-3  state travel services.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 14.02(b), State Purchasing and General
    1-6  Services Act (Article 601b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is
    1-7  amended to read as follows:
    1-8        (b)  The office shall <may> negotiate contracts with private
    1-9  travel agents, with travel and transportation providers, and with
   1-10  credit card companies that provide travel services and other
   1-11  benefits to the state.  To the greatest extent possible, the
   1-12  Commission shall use electronic means to solicit and receive bids
   1-13  under this subsection.  The Commission shall make contracts with
   1-14  <more than one provider of travel agency services> travel agents
   1-15  that meet certain reasonable requirements promulgated by the
   1-16  central travel office, allowing contracts to provide travel
   1-17  services by as many private travel agents as possible with
   1-18  preference given to Texas resident entities.  Contracts entered
   1-19  into under this section are not subject to the competitive bidding
   1-20  requirements imposed under Article 3 of this Act. The Comptroller
   1-21  of Public Accounts shall audit travel vouchers in accordance with
   1-22  Chapter 403, Government Code, and its subsequent amendments, for
   1-23  compliance with rules adopted to enforce the provisions of this
    2-1  section.
    2-2        (c)  State agencies in the executive branch of state
    2-3  government shall participate in accordance with Commission rules in
    2-4  the Commission's contracts for travel services, provided that all
    2-5  travel agents approved by the Commission are permitted to contract
    2-6  with the State and provide travel services to all state agencies.
    2-7  Institutions of higher education as defined by Section 61.003,
    2-8  Education Code, shall not be required to participate in the
    2-9  Commission's contracts for travel agency services or other travel
   2-10  services purchased from funds other than general revenue funds or
   2-11  educational and general funds as defined by Section 51.009,
   2-12  Education Code.  The Commission may provide by rule for exemptions
   2-13  from required participation.  Agencies of the state that are not
   2-14  required to participate in Commission contracts for travel services
   2-15  may participate as provided in Subsection (a) of this section.
   2-16        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   2-17        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-18  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-19  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-20  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-21  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.