By:  Lucio                                            S.B. No. 1772

         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to telecommunications in state facilities.

 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 10, Government Code, is amended

 1-4     by adding Chapter 2055 to read as follows:

 1-5               CHAPTER 2055.  STATE AGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS

 1-6           Sec. 2055.001.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter:

 1-7                 (1)  "Commission" means the General Services

 1-8     Commission.

 1-9                 (2)  "Department" means the Department of Information

1-10     Resources.

1-11                 (3)  "Installation" includes replacement.

1-12                 (4)  "State agency" and "telecommunications" have the

1-13     meanings assigned those terms by Section 2054.003.

1-14           Sec. 2055.002.  TELECOMMUNICATIONS WIRING STANDARDS.

1-15     (a)  The department shall establish standards for

1-16     telecommunications wiring to be used in a facility owned or leased

1-17     by the state or a state agency.

1-18           (b)  A state agency may not install telecommunications wiring

1-19     in a facility owned or leased by the state or the agency unless the

1-20     department determines that the installation will meet the standards

1-21     established under this section.

 2-1           (c)  Before beginning the installation, the state agency

 2-2     shall submit to the department a plan, in a form prescribed by the

 2-3     department, of the proposed installation.  If the department

 2-4     determines that the plan meets the standards established under this

 2-5     section, the department shall approve the plan.  If the department

 2-6     determines that the plan does not meet those standards, the

 2-7     department shall provide the state agency a statement of the plan's

 2-8     deficiencies.  If the department does not approve the plan or

 2-9     provide the statement of deficiencies before the 11th working day

2-10     after the date the plan was submitted, the plan is considered

2-11     approved and the agency may make the installation.

2-12           Sec. 2055.003.  TELECOMMUNICATIONS NEEDS OF NEW FACILITY;

2-13     STATEWIDE CONTRACT.  (a)  Before a state agency moves to or expands

2-14     a facility, the agency shall notify the commission of its intent.

2-15     The commission, in conjunction with the agency and other interested

2-16     entities, shall analyze the telecommunications requirements of the

2-17     facility and any alternative sites, including the estimated cost of

2-18     installation of necessary telecommunications wiring or other

2-19     telecommunications equipment.

2-20           (b)  The commission may enter a statewide contract for

2-21     services related to installation of telecommunications wiring and

2-22     other telecommunications equipment in facilities owned or leased by

2-23     the state or state agencies.

2-24           (c)  If a new state agency responsible for state

2-25     telecommunications is created by an Act of the 75th Legislature,

 3-1     Regular Session, 1997, the duties provided for the commission by

 3-2     this section shall be performed by that agency.

 3-3           Sec. 2055.004.  SHARED FACILITY.  (a)  To the extent

 3-4     practicable, the commission shall require state agencies located in

 3-5     the same facility to share a single telecommunications system.  The

 3-6     commission shall develop a five-year plan relating to location of

 3-7     multiple state agencies in the common facilities and provide a

 3-8     written report of the plan to the department.  The department shall

 3-9     advise the commission on system specifications, selection, and

3-10     installation of telecommunications wiring and other

3-11     telecommunications equipment in the facilities, including

3-12     compatibility of existing and future wiring and equipment and

3-13     methods of acquisition.

3-14           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

3-15           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

3-16     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

3-17     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

3-18     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

3-19     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.