IMF H.B. 1805 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS STATE AFFAIRS H.B. 1805 By: Greenberg 4-10-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND The Comptroller of Public Accounts Texas Performance Review in the December 1996 report, "Disturbing the Peace," recommended that the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) should develop a training program for state employees concerning contract negotiation for information resources. The comptroller also recommended that the General Services Commission should be allowed to place the state agency purchasing catalogues on the internet. Currently, the Department of Information Resources does provide training to all state employees concerning numerous aspects of information resources. DIR does include contract negotiation in its current training curriculum. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 1805 would effectively place the comptroller's recommendations into law. The bill requires the Department of Information Resources to provide training for state employees concerning contract negotiation, and directs the General Services Commission (GSC) to place vendor catalogues on the internet. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does expressly grant rulemaking authority to the General Services Commission in SECTION 3 (Sec. 2157.066 (d), Government Code) of the bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 2054 of the Government Code by adding Section 2054.060 as follows: Section 2054.060 requires the Department of Information Resources (DIR), with the cooperation of the comptroller and GSC, to develop a training program for state employees concerning contracting for information resource technologies. This training must be open to all state employees who are involved with contracting for these goods and services. Specifies what shall be included in the training and allows DIR to use its own staff or contract out to provide training. SECTION 2. Amends Section 2157.062 (a) of the Government Code stating that GSC may allow or require vendors to apply over the internet, for designation as a qualified vendor. SECTION 3. Amends Section 2157.066 of the Government Code as follows: Sec. 2157.066 (a)-(c) allows the General Services Commission to establish requirements for the manner of publishing and revising vendor goods and services catalogues. This section would require each vendor to maintain a home page on the internet which makes their catalogue information available to the public. Sec. 2157.066 (d) requires GSC to phase in a requirement that all catalogue information must be available on the internet and allow or require qualified vendors to publish paper versions of the catalogues until state agencies can use the internet-based catalogue system. Requires GSC to set rules concerning these requirements and their timing. Sec. 2157.066 (e) defines "internet." SECTION 4. Requires the comptroller to study whether it would be beneficial for the state to purchase other goods and services in the same manner as prescribed by this Act. The comptroller must report the findings of the study to the general investigating committees of the legislature. SECTION 5. Requires DIR to consult the California Franchise Tax Board concerning how the California Board contracts for the purchase of information resources technologies. The department should include any relevant practices in its training program called for by this Act. SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 7. Emergency clause.