HBA-ATS S.B. 1669 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1669
By: Jackson
County Affairs
4/25/1999
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the commissioners court of a county must comply with competitive
bidding or competitive proposal procedures before the county can purchase
one or more items under a contract that will require an expenditure
exceeding $15,000.  S.B. 1669 provides that the county must comply with the
competitive bidding or competitive proposal procedures before purchasing
one or more items that exceed $25,000 in cost.  This bill also requires a
county purchasing agent to complete not less than 25 hours in courses
relating to the duties of the county purchasing agent from an accredited
college or university, or recognized by a national purchasing association,
such as the National Association of Purchasing Management.  Additionally,
this bill authorizes the notice of a  proposed purchase to be extended if
the commissioners court determines the extension is in the best interest of
the county. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 262.011, Local Government Code, by adding
Subsection (p), to require a county purchasing agent, during each two-year
term of office, to complete not less than 25 hours in courses relating to
the duties of the county purchasing agent that must be accredited by a
nationally recognized college or university, or recognized by a national
purchasing association, such as the National Association of Purchasing
Management. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 262.023(a), Local Government Code, to increase
the amount of a contract expenditure from $15,000 to $25,000, before
providing that the county must comply with the competitive bidding or
competitive proposal procedures prescribed by this subchapter (Competitive
Bidding in General).   

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 262.026(a), Local Government Code, to authorize
the notice of a proposed purchase to be extended if the commissioners
determines the extension is in the best interest of the county, rather than
if the commissioners court discovers an error in the original
specifications or the nature of the item requires an extension for the
county to best use the provisions of Section 262.030 (Alternative
Competitive Proposal Procedure for Insurance, High Technology Items, and
Special Services).  Provides that all bids, including those received before
an extension is made, must be opened at the same time.  Authorizes the
commissioners court to adopt an order that delegates the authority to make
extensions under this subsection to the county official who makes purchases
for the county.  

SECTION 4.Makes application of SECTION 1 of this Act prospective, as it
applies to the required 25 hours of courses to be completed by the county
purchasing agent. 

SECTION 5.Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 6.Emergency clause.

 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Amendment No. 1:

Amends S.B. 1669 in SECTION 1 (proposed Section 262.011(p), Local
Government Code) by adding a new Subdivision (3), to add courses offered by
state agencies related to purchasing to the types of courses by which a
county purchasing agent can satisfy the requirements of this subsection.