SRC-BWC H.B. 1872 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1872
77R5414 JMM-DBy: Solis, Jim (Carona)
State Affairs
5/11/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Current law requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to prepare, at
the request of a state agency, a local employment impact statement
(statement) for a proposed rule that may affect a local economy.  TWC has
assigned the task of preparing these statements to its Labor Market
Information Department (LMI), which is federally funded for specific
activities.  Most statements are not burdensome; however, the rule changes
that do result in a substantial employment impact cause LMI to expend
federal funds for this purpose.  In addition, LMI lacks the resources to
perform a thorough analysis which can require the services of many
professionals not employed by LMI such as engineers, environmental
scientists, geologists, and health specialists.  The agency proposing the
rule change may be better equipped than TWC to analyze and describe such
changes.  H.B. 1872 requires the state agency proposing the rule to prepare
a local impact statement on determining that a proposed rule may affect a
local economy.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 2001.022, Government Code, to require a state
agency to determine whether a rule may affect a local economy before
proposing the rule for adoption.  Requires the agency, rather than the
Texas Workforce Commission (commission), to prepare a local equipment
impact statement for the proposed rule, if the state agency determines that
a proposed rule may affect a local economy.  Deletes text that required the
agency, if the agency determines that a proposed rule may affect a local
economy, to submit to the commission a copy of proposed rules not later
than a certain date.  Makes a conforming change.  Deletes text that
required a state agency to designate a liaison to furnish information.
Deletes text that required the commission to deliver the local employment
impact statement to a state agency by a certain date.  Deletes text that
required the impact statement to include certain information. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.
            Makes application of this Act prospective.