1-1  By:  Montford                                         S.B. No. 1295
    1-2        (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 1995; March 20, 1995, read
    1-3  first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
    1-4  April 21, 1995, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
    1-5  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; April 21, 1995,
    1-6  sent to printer.)
    1-7  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1295              By:  Armbrister
    1-8                         A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-9                                AN ACT
   1-10  relating to use of the open market purchase procedure for certain
   1-11  state travel services.
   1-12        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
   1-13        SECTION 1.  Subsections (b) and (c), Section 14.02, State
   1-14  Purchasing and General Services Act (Article 601b, Vernon's Texas
   1-15  Civil Statutes), are amended to read as follows:
   1-16        (b)  The office shall <may> negotiate contracts with private
   1-17  travel agents, with travel and transportation providers, and with
   1-18  credit card companies that provide travel services and other
   1-19  benefits to the state.  To the greatest extent possible, the
   1-20  commission shall use electronic means to solicit and receive bids
   1-21  under this subsection.   The commission shall make contracts with
   1-22  travel agents that meet certain reasonable requirements promulgated
   1-23  by the central travel office, allowing contracts to provide travel
   1-24  services by as many private travel agents as possible with
   1-25  preference given to Texas resident entities <more than one provider
   1-26  of travel agency services>.  Contracts entered into under this
   1-27  section are not subject to the competitive bidding requirements
   1-28  imposed under Article 3 of this Act.  The comptroller of public
   1-29  accounts shall audit travel vouchers in accordance with Chapter
   1-30  403, Government Code, and its subsequent amendments, for compliance
   1-31  with rules adopted to enforce the provisions of this section.
   1-32        (c)  State agencies in the executive branch of state
   1-33  government shall participate in accordance with commission rules in
   1-34  the commission's contracts for travel services, provided that all
   1-35  travel agents approved by the commission are permitted to contract
   1-36  with the state and provide travel services to all state agencies.
   1-37  Institutions of higher education as defined by Section 61.003,
   1-38  Education Code, shall not be required to participate in the
   1-39  commission's contracts for travel agency services or other travel
   1-40  services purchased from funds other than general revenue funds or
   1-41  educational and general funds as defined by Section 51.009,
   1-42  Education Code.  The commission may provide by rule for exemptions
   1-43  from required participation.  Agencies of the state that are not
   1-44  required to participate in commission contracts for travel services
   1-45  may participate as provided by Subsection (a) of this section.
   1-46        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-47        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-48  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-49  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-50  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-51  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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