SRC-JBJ S.B. 1115 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1115 By: Armbrister State Affairs 3/28/2001 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, the Department of Information Resources (department) is prohibited from hiring an employee at or above a certain salary if the employee's spouse is an officer, employee, or paid consultant of a business entity or of a trade association that has a substantial interest in the information resources technologies industry and that may contract with state government. This prohibition can cause an undue and unnecessary burden on the department's efforts to attract and retain highly qualified information technology professionals. As proposed, S.B. 1115 amends provisions regarding conflict of interests to require the department to remove from the bidding process, including the proposal development through the contract award and negotiation, any employee who receives more than five percent of the individual's income from any likely respondent to a bid proposal issued by the department or whose spouse is employed by any likely respondent to a bid proposal issued by the department. 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 2054.022(b), Government Code, to delete existing text pertaining to the ineligibility of certain persons with substantial interest in the information resources technologies to be board members or highly compensated employees of the Department of Information Resources (department). Requires the department to remove from the bidding process, including development of the proposal through award of the contract and contract negotiation, any employee who receives more than five percent of the individual's income from any likely respondent to a bid proposal issued by the department, or whose spouse is employed by any likely respondent to a bid proposal issued by the department. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.