SRC-JBJ H.B. 3125 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 3125 By: Chisum (Fraser) State Affairs 5/13/1999 Engrossed DIGEST Currently, state vehicle fleets are operated in a decentralized manner. While the General Services Commission's office of vehicle fleet management (office) is authorized to collect data on agency vehicles, no single entity has oversight responsibilities for the entire state fleet. Instead, each agency manages its own fleet. This can be inefficient, as evidenced by the fact that Texas spent seven cents more per mile in 1996 to operate its vehicles than the federal government. H.B. 3125 would require the office to develop detailed recommendations for improving the efficiency of the state's vehicle fleet operations, including the out-sourcing of operations and management where appropriate. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 3125 establishes a management plan for vehicles owned and purchased by the state. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to each state agency in SECTION 2 (Section 2171.1045(a), Government Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 2171.101, Government Code, by adding Subsections (d) and (e), to require the office of vehicle fleet management (office) to file an annual report with the legislature containing vehicle information and the names of state agencies that fail to report the vehicle information. Requires the office to review the operations of each state agency's vehicle fleet and to report to the legislature by a certain date the status of the agency's vehicle fleet and the office's recommendations to improve operations of the fleet. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 2171C, Government Code, by adding Sections 2171.104, 2171.1045, and 2171.105, as follows: Sec. 2171.104. MANAGEMENT PLAN. Requires the office to develop a management plan with detailed recommendations for improving the administration and operations of the fleet. Requires the assistance for the preparation of the fleet plan by the Texas Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Parks and Wildlife Department, and Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Sets forth information that must be contained in the fleet plan. Requires the General Services Commission (commission) to sell the excess vehicles identified by the plan and deposit the proceeds for the sale into the account that the agency used to purchase the vehicles. Sec. 2171.1045. RESTRICTIONS ON ASSIGNMENT OF VEHICLES. Requires each state agency to adopt rules, consistent with the management plan adopted under Section 2171.104 relating to the assignment and use of its vehicles. Sets forth policies which the rules must address. Sec. 2171.105. PURCHASE OF VEHICLES PROHIBITED. Prohibits a state agency from purchasing a vehicle before June 1, 2000, unless the purchase is approved by the commission or as provided in Subsections (b) and (c). Authorizes the agency to purchase a vehicle on or after that date, as provided by the plan. Authorizes an agency to purchase a vehicle for law enforcement, emergency, or safety purposes or for performing crash tests or related research. Authorizes an agency to purchase heavy equipment, including certain construction equipment, if the agency has purchased heavy equipment in previous years. Provides that this section expires September 1, 2001. SECTION 3.(a) Effective date: September 1, 1999. (b) Requires the office to prepare the plan and present it to the legislature by May 31, 2000. (c) Requires the commission to sell the excess vehicles identified by the plan by August 31, 2001. SECTION 4.Emergency clause.