IMF H.B. 255 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS STATE AFFAIRS H.B. 255 By: Denny 3-26-97 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND Currently, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, and probation officers are required to travel nationwide for felony fugitive retrieval. Typically, these county law enforcement officers must pay the "no notice" full fare for travel on felony warrants. These high fares have strained county resources. 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. One way in which the STMP helps state agencies is by negotiating contracts with airlines for reduced airfare for state travel. Currently, sheriff, deputy sheriffs, and probation officers cannot use this service for transporting state felony warrants. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 255, allows county sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, and probation officers, while transporting a state prisoner under a felony warrant, to participate in the General Services Commission's contracts for travel services. Counties would have to pay GSC what it costs the commission to provide the service. This will allow local law enforcement officials to transport state felons or felony suspects, at the lower state airfare rates. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly grants rulemaking authority to the General Services Commission in SECTION 2 (Sec. 2171.055(e) of the Government Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends the heading of Section 2171.055 of the Government Code as follows: Section 2171.055. PARTICIPATION [BY STATE AGENCIES] IN TRAVEL SERVICE CONTRACTS. SECTION 2. Amends Section 2171.055 of the Government Code by adding Subsection (e) which allows a sheriff, deputy sheriff, adult probation officer, or juvenile probation officer to participate in the General Services Commission's contract for travel services. This SECTION also allows GSC to charge counties a fee to cover the costs incurred by GSC in providing the services of this subsection. GSC is required to adopt rules and amend contracts to administer the requirements of this subsection. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 4. Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute adds language to allow adult or juvenile probation officers as well as county law enforcement officers to participate in the General Services Commission's contracts for travel services. Also, the substitute adds language to allow cost recovery for GSC so that there is no negative fiscal impact to the state. GSC may charge a participating county a fee not to exceed the cost incurred by GSC in providing services under Section 2171.055, Government Code.