SRC-TBR S.B. 1515 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1515
77R6663 MTB-DBy: Lucio
Finance
4/9/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation (department) can not
lease vehicles for its use; instead, the department must purchase all its
vehicles.  As proposed, S.B. 1515 allows the department the option to lease
some vehicles instead of purchasing. 

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 201I, Transportation Code, by adding Section
201.7055, as follows: 

Sec. 201.7055.  ACQUISITION OF DEPARTMENT VEHICLES. (a)  Authorizes the
Texas Department of Transportation (department), as an alternative to
purchasing a vehicle, to acquire a vehicle for the department's use through
a lease, including a standard lease, a lease with an option to purchase,
and a purchase buy-back program. 

(b)  Prohibits the amount spent on vehicle acquisitions using the methods
authorized in Subsection (a) in a fiscal year from exceeding 5 percent of
the amount spent on all vehicle acquisitions by the department in the
previous fiscal year without the approval of the governor and the
Legislative Budget Board. 

SECTION 2.  Requires the Texas Department of Transportation to study the
feasibility of using the acquisition methods authorized by Section
201.7055, Transportation Code, as added by this Act, and to file its
written findings with the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house
of representatives not later than January 1, 2003. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.