SRC-AXB S.B. 176 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 176
By: Ratliff
Finance
6/22/1999
Enrolled


DIGEST 

Currently, the Texas Constitution states that "no bill...shall contain more
than one subject."  An exception to the one-subject rule is allowed for
General Appropriations Act bills because they aggregate all the subjects on
which Texas spends money.  However, there is an important limitation that
they must be strictly limited to the subjects and accounts of money.  This
bill clarifies and specifies reporting and accounting requirements in the
General Appropriations Act that are applicable to state agencies and grants
rulemaking authority to the governor. 

PURPOSE

As enrolled, S.B. 176 clarifies and specifies account reporting procedures
applicable to state agencies and grants rulemaking authority to the
governor. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is granted to the governor in SECTION 16 (Section
391.009(a), Local Government Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 324.008, Government Code, by adding Subsection
(d), to require the governing body of a state agency to deliver a certified
copy of minutes of any meeting, including changes or corrections, to the
library. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 403B, Government Code, by adding Section
403.0131, as follows: 

Sec. 403.0131.  APPROPRIATION CERTIFICATION SUMMARY.  Requires the
comptroller to prepare a summary table detailing the certification of all
major funds.  Sets forth the required format of the table and requires that
it include the biennial appropriations from all major funds.  Requires the
comptroller to deliver the table to certain authorities. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 403.021, Government Code, to define "state
agency."  Requires a state agency to report all payables and binding
encumbrances, rather than estimated encumbrances, by appropriation account
for all appropriation years annually.  Requires a state agency to report
payables and binding encumbrances to the Legislative Budget Board (board),
rather than Legislative Budget Office.   Requires the comptroller to lapse
certain balances by November 1, rather than October 1, of each fiscal year.
Requires each state agency to reconcile all expenditures as reported in the
uniform statewide accounting system, with the state agency's own strategic
planning and budget structure.  Requires each state agency to report a
method of financing in the automated budget and evaluation system.
Authorizes the board to determine a schedule for the state agencies'
reconciliation.  Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 751.024, Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 751.024.  New heading:  REPORTS CONCERNING GRANT FUNDS.  Requires each
agency and institution of higher learning to report certain information to
the Office of StateFederal Relations, the board, and the budget division of
the governor's office.  Authorizes the board to prescribe, rather than
develop, certain procedures and schedules.  Deletes text  requiring certain
action of the board. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Chapter 2054A, Government Code, by adding Section
2054.008, as follows: 

Sec.  2054.008.  CONTRACT NOTIFICATION.  Defines "major information
system." Requires a state agency to provide written notice regarding a
contract for a major information system, and sets forth notification
requirements. 

SECTION 6.  Amends Section 2101.011, Government Code, to define
"appropriated money"  and "appropriation item."  Requires the executive
head of each state agency to submit a financial report of the agency's use
of appropriated money during the preceding fiscal year by November 20 of
each year.  Sets forth required information to be included in the annual
report.  Deletes text requiring certain action of a state agency.  Makes
nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 7.  Amends Chapter 2102, Government Code, by adding Section
2102.0091, as follows: 

Sec. 2102.0091.  REPORTS OF PERIODIC AUDITS.  Requires a state agency to
file with certain authorities, a copy of each report submitted by its
internal auditor.  Sets forth filing deadlines.  Requires a state agency to
file with the governor's office budget division any response made by its
governing body to the report of the internal auditor. 

SECTION 8.  Amends Section 2152.064, Government Code, to require a state
agency to file a certain report with the board, rather than the presiding
officer of each house of the legislature and other authorities.  Requires a
state agency to provide justification for the need to use a nonresident
bidder for contracts of $250,000 or more.  Requires a state agency to
report a listing of the total value of all purchases from nonresident
bidders during the six months before the report is filed.  Requires the
state agency to explain the need to use nonresident bidders if the amount
reported exceeds $1 million or 25 percent of the total value of all
purchases.  Requires the board to prepare a summary report of the
information received under this section for each reporting period, and
requires that it be filed with certain authorities. 

SECTION 9.  Amends Section 2166.152, Government Code, by adding Subsection
(e), to prohibit money appropriated by the legislature from being used for
a capital construction project until the required analysis is filed with
certain authorities. 

SECTION 10.  Amends Chapter 2166F, Government Code, by adding Section
2166.2551, as follows: 

Sec.  2166.2551.  CONTRACT NOTIFICATION.  Requires certain entities to
provide written notice of a contract for a construction project if the
amount of the contract exceeds $14,000.  Sets forth notification
requirements. 

SECTION 11.  Amends Section 2205.039, Government Code, by amending
Subsection (b), and adding Subsection (c), as follows: 

 (b)  Adds certain information required to be included in a travel log
form.  

(c)  Requires a state agency other than the State Aircraft Pooling Board to
send travel logs to the board for each month the agency operates an
aircraft. 

SECTION 12.  Amends Section 2205.041, Government Code, to set forth
required information to be gathered by the aircraft use form. 

SECTION 13.  Amends Chapter 2254A, Government Code, by adding Section
2254.006, as follows: 

Sec.  2254.006.  CONTRACT NOTIFICATION.  Requires certain entities to
provide written notice of a contract for certain professional services if
the amount of the contract exceeds $14,000.  Makes conforming changes. 

 SECTION 14.  Amends Chapter 2254B, Government Code, by adding Section
2254.0301, as follows: 

Sec.  2254.0301.  CONTRACT NOTIFICATION.  Requires certain entities to
provide written notice of a contract for consulting services if the amount
of the contract exceeds $14,000.  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 15.  Amends Chapter 109, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, by
adding Section 109.0015, as follows: 

Sec. 109.0015.  NOTICE OF CERTAIN LAWSUITS.  Defines "state agency."
Requires a state agency to notify certain authorities about the filing of
lawsuits for which the state may be liable for payment of a judgment.  Sets
forth requirements concerning the notification. 

SECTION 16.  Amends Section 391.009, Local Government Code, to require the
governor to adopt rules regarding the efficient use of public funds.
Requires the provision of certain services to ensure compliance with the
rules, requirements, and guidelines adopted under Subsection (a). 

SECTION 17.  Amends Chapter 391, Local Government Code, by adding Section
391.0095, as follows: 

Sec.  391.0095.  AUDIT AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.  Requires auditing and
reporting requirements to include a requirement that a commission annually
report certain information to the governor.  Authorizes the commission of
the annual audit and requires the commission to pay for the audit.
Requires a commission to submit any other report or audit required by the
governor.  Sets forth provisions for the case  a commission which fails to
comply with the governor's requirements.  Requires a commission to send a
copy of a report or audit to certain entities.  Sets forth provisions in
the case of a certain determination by the governor. 

SECTION 18.  (a)  Requires the governor to adopt certain rules,
requirements, and guidelines by January 1, 2000. 

 (b)  Requires an entity required to file an audit or report, to do so by
September 1, 2000. 

SECTION 19.  Provides a derivation table for provisions of the General
Appropriations Act. 

SECTION 20.  Effective date:  September 1, 1999.

SECTION 21.  Emergency clause.