HBA-CMT H.B. 197 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 197
By: Solomons
County Affairs
7/18/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Previously, the competitive bidding limit for a municipality and a crime
control and prevention district (district) was set at $15,000.  During the
1999 legislative session, the county bidding limit was increased from
$15,000 to $25,000.   House Bill 197 increases from $15,000 to $25,000 the
maximum amount that a municipality or a district may expend without being
subject to competitive bidding and proposal requirements. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 197 amends the Local Government Code to increase from $15,000 to
$25,000 the maximum amount that a  municipality or a crime control and
prevention district may expend without being subject to competitive bidding
and proposal requirements.  The bill increases from $15,000 to $25,000 the
maximum amount that a governmental entity is authorized to spend on a
contract for the construction, repair, or renovation of a structure, road,
highway, or other addition or improvement to real property without being
subject to competitive bidding and proposal requirements.  The bill
provides that any law that requires a county to follow a competitive
bidding procedure in making a purchase requiring an expenditure of $25,000
rather than $15,000 or less does not apply to the purchase of an item
available for purchase from only one supplier.   

H.B. 197 amends the Transportation Code to increase from $15,000 to $25,000
the competitive bidding limit of a purchase made through a negotiation by
the commissioner's court of a county if the county road engineer so
recommends and the commissioners court considers it to be in the best
interest of the county. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.