SRC-BWC S.B. 645 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 645
77R5804 SMH-DBy: Shapiro
State Affairs
2/20/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, state agencies use of the Internet portal are not facilitated in
order to make government more efficient and consumer friendly.  As
proposed, S.B. 645 requires 22 occupational licensing authorities to offer
services online through a central government site. 

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 Chapter 2054, Government Code, by adding Subchapter I,
as follows: 

SUBCHAPTER I.  ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING 
TRANSACTIONS

Sec. 2054.251.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "licensing authority" and
"occupational license."   

Sec. 2054.252.  APPLICABILITY.  Sets forth a list of licensing authorities
that are required to participate in the system established under Section
2054.253.  Authorizes additional licensing authorities to participate in
the system established under Section 2054.253, subject to the approval of
the Department of Information Resources (department). 

Sec. 2054.253.  ELECTRONIC SYSTEM FOR OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING. Requires the
department to administer a common electronic system using the Internet
through which a licensing authority can electronically perform certain
tasks.  Authorizes the department to implement this section in phases.
Requires each licensing authority that participates in the system
established under this section to comply with the schedule established by
the department.  Authorizes the department to use any Internet portal
established under a demonstration project administered by the department.
Authorizes the department to contract, which is payable only from fees
collected under Subsection (e), with a private vendor to implement this
section.  Requires the department to charge  certain fees in amounts
sufficient to cover the cost of implementing this section. 

Sec. 2054.254.  STEERING COMMITTEE.  Provides that the steering committee
for electronic occupational licensing transactions consists  of a
representative of each of the following, appointed by its governing body:
each licensing authority listed by Section 2054.252(a) and the department.
Authorizes that the governing body of a licensing authority described by
Section 2054.252(b) to appoint a representative to the committee, who
serves at the will of the authority that appointed the member.  Provides
that the representative of the department is the presiding officer of the
committee.  Requires the committee to meet as prescribed by committee
procedures or at the call of the presiding officer.  Requires the committee
to advise the department regarding the department's implementation of
Section  2054.253.  Provides that Chapter 2110 (State Agency Advisory
Committees) does not apply to the size, composition, or duration of the
committee.  Authorizes any reimbursement of the expenses of a member of the
committee to be paid only from funds available to the governmental entity
the member represents.   

SECTION 2.  Requires each licensing authority listed by Section
2054.252(a), Government Code, as added by this Act and  the Department of
Information Resources (TDIR) to appoint the members of the steering
committee for electronic occupational licensing transactions, not later
than January 1, 2002. Requires the TDIR to adopt a schedule for
implementing Section 2054.253, Government Code, as added by this Act.
Requires the schedule, not later than September 1, 2002, to permit the
initial group of licensing authorities to perform the functions described
by Section 2054.253(a), Government Code, as added by this Act.  Requires
the TDIR, not later than January 1, 2003, to report to the presiding
officer of each house of the legislature and to the presiding officers of
the committees of each house of the legislature that have primary oversight
jurisdiction over the department or over a licensing authority listed by
Section 2054.252(a), Government Code, as added by this Act, on the
department's progress in implementing Section 2054.253, Government Code, as
added by this Act. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 2001.