HBA-NRS S.B. 1078 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1078 By: Barrientos Transportation 4/29/2001 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In the past decade, The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has been audited and reviewed numerous times. Current law requires TxDOT to carry out an independent audit of its management and business operations beginning in 2001 and every 12 years thereafter. The intent of the independent audit and its timing is to facilitate sunset review of TxDOT and provide additional insight into its operations. To provide TxDOT some relief from having to undertake another audit immediately following the comptroller's comprehensive performance review, Senate Bill 1078 changes the year in which the initial audit must be performed to 2007 and amends the time interval between audits to re-align the independent audit with sunset review. 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 Senate Bill 1078 amends the Transportation Code to require the Texas Transportation Commission, in enhancing existing sources of revenue and creating alternate sources of revenue, to provide for contracting for an independent audit of the Texas Department of Transportation's management and business operations in 2007, rather than 2001, and each sixth year after 2007. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS Committee Amendment No. 1 requires the Texas Transportation Commission to provide for contracting for an independent audit of the Texas Department of Transportation's management and business operations every 12 years, rather than every six years, after 2007.