SRC-MAX S.B. 1576 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1576 By: Bivins Natural Resources 6-30-97 As Filed DIGEST Currently, the law requires a biennial cost-benefit study to be performed on all agricultural finance programs under the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority (TAFA). The TAFA board has determined that such a study does not accomplish the legislative intent of analyzing the effectiveness of the agriculture loan programs. TAFA hopes to establish two performance measures that would be incorporated into the appropriations act in order to more accurately gauge the benefits of the agricultural finance programs. This bill requires two performance measures that provide certain information to be developed by TAFA in conjunction with certain other governmental agencies. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1576 requires certain performance measures to be developed in order to measure the effectiveness of agricultural loan programs. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 58.017, Agriculture Code, as follows: Sec. 58.017. New heading: PERFORMANCE MEASURES. Requires the board of directors of the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority, in conjunction with certain governmental entities, to develop a minimum of two performance measures that provide information on the benefits of the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority's loan programs. Requires the performance measures to be included in the report required under Section 58.016(d) of this code or as a component of the measures incorporated into the appropriations act. Deletes existing Subsections (a) through (c) regarding a biennial costbenefit study. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.