By Maxey                                              H.B. No. 2472
         76R8711 CLG-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to authorizing certain state agencies to enter into lease
 1-3     and sublease agreements with private service providers.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 531.051 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 531.051.  LEASES AND SUBLEASES OF CERTAIN OFFICE SPACE.
 1-8     (a)  A health and human services agency, with the approval of the
 1-9     commission, or the Texas Workforce Commission or any other state
1-10     agency that administers employment services programs, may lease or
1-11     sublease office space to or from a private service provider that
1-12     contracts with the agency to enable agency eligibility and
1-13     enrollment personnel to work with the provider if:
1-14                 (1)  client access to services would be enhanced; and
1-15                 (2)  the colocation of offices would improve the
1-16     efficiency of the administration and delivery of services.
1-17           (b)  Subchapters D and E, Chapter 2165, do not apply to a
1-18     state agency that leases or subleases office space to a private
1-19     service provider under this section.
1-20           (c)  Subchapter B, Chapter 2167, does not apply to a state
1-21     agency that leases or subleases office space from a private service
1-22     provider under this section.
1-23           (d)  A state agency is delegated the authority to enter into
1-24     a lease or sublease under this section and may negotiate the terms
 2-1     of the lease or sublease.
 2-2           (e)  To the extent authorized by federal law, a state agency
 2-3     may share business resources with a private service provider that
 2-4     enters into a lease or sublease agreement with the agency under
 2-5     this section.
 2-6           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-11     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-12     passage, and it is so enacted.