SRC-MAX H.B. 255 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 255
By: Denny (Haywood)
State Affairs
4-23-97
Engrossed


DIGEST 

The Travel Management Section of the General Services Commission (GSC)
provides centralized management and coordination of state business travel.
The Travel Management Section administers the State Travel Management
Program (STMP), which is designed to help state agencies manage state
travel expenditures, monitor the state's travel activity, and provide
travel services to state agencies, resulting in a more efficient use of
taxpayer dollars.  This bill authorizes GSC to provide certain law
enforcement officers with reduced rates when traveling on felony fugitive
retrieval.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 255 authorizes certain law enforcement authorities and
probation officers to receive reduced airline fares while engaged in
certain official duties.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is granted to the General Services Commission in
SECTION 2 (Sec. 2171.055, Government Code) of this bill.   

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 2171.055, Government Code, as follows:

Sec.  2171.055.  New heading:  PARTICIPATION IN TRAVEL SERVICE CONTRACTS

SECTION 2. Amends Section 2171.055, Government Code, by adding Subsection
(e), to authorize certain authorities who are transporting a state
prisoner under a felony warrant to participate in the General Services
Commission's (GSC) contract for travel services for purposes of obtaining
reduced airline fares for the law enforcement or probation officer and the
prisoner. Authorizes GSC to charge a participating county a certain fee.
Requires GSC to periodically review fees and to adjust the fees as needed
to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services to counties.
Requires GSC to adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to
administer this subsection. 

SECTION 3. Effective date:  September 1, 1997.

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.