By Maxey                                        H.B. No. 2018

      75R5056 MLS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the allocation of space to state agencies.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 2165.104, Government Code, is amended by

 1-5     amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding Subsections (f)

 1-6     and (g) to read as follows:

 1-7           (a)  The commission periodically shall study the space

 1-8     requirements of state agencies that occupy space under the

 1-9     commission's charge and control, including state-owned space and

1-10     space leased from other sources.  Each state agency that occupies

1-11     space under the commission's charge and control shall conduct

1-12     periodic analyses to identify usable and exempt space and determine

1-13     if each location meets the requirements of Subsection (c).  Each

1-14     state agency shall submit a copy of each space analysis to the

1-15     commission and the Legislative Budget Board.

1-16           (b)  The commission shall use the results of the study to:

1-17                 (1)  determine the optimal amount of space required for

1-18     various state agency uses; [and]

1-19                 (2)  co-locate certain administrative field offices of

1-20     state agencies in the same geographic area; and

1-21                 (3)  allocate space to state agencies in the best and

1-22     most efficient manner possible.

1-23           (d)  The commission shall conduct a study under this section

1-24     at least once each state fiscal biennium.  Each study must include

 2-1     transition plans  for the co-location of certain state agency

 2-2     administrative field office space developed under Section

 2-3     2165.1061.

 2-4           (f)  The Legislative Budget Board shall include information

 2-5     on a state agency's space use in performance reports produced under

 2-6     Section 322.011.

 2-7           (g)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), the commission may

 2-8     not approve any new lease for usable office space for a state

 2-9     agency that allocates more than an average of 153 square feet per

2-10     agency employee.

2-11           SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2165, Government Code, is

2-12     amended by adding Section 2165.1061 to read as follows:

2-13           Sec. 2165.1061.  CO-LOCATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE FIELD OFFICES

2-14     OF STATE AGENCIES.  (a)  The commission shall identify areas of the

2-15     state in which more than one state agency operates an

2-16     administrative field office.  The commission shall review the

2-17     leases and the office arrangements of these state agencies and

2-18     study the feasibility of co-locating offices located in the same

2-19     geographic area.

2-20           (b)  The commission, in cooperation with the affected state

2-21     agencies, shall develop transition plans for the co-location of

2-22     administrative field offices in certain locations.  Each plan must

2-23     include the costs and benefits of co-location.

2-24           (c)  The commission shall also study the potential for

2-25     co-locating a state agency field office with an office of a federal

2-26     agency in the same geographic area.

2-27           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 3-1           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-2     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 3-3     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-4     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-5     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.