By: Fraser S.B. No. 441
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the administration of certain state agencies.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 2162, Government Code, is
1-5 amended by adding Section 2162.106 to read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 2162.106. SMALL STATE AGENCIES. (a) In this section:
1-7 (1) "Small state agency" means a state agency with
1-8 fewer than 100 full-time equivalent employees, but not including a
1-9 state agency that participates in the pilot project created by
1-10 Article 8930, Revised Statutes.
1-11 (2) "Administrative functions" includes information
1-12 technology, budgeting, accounting, payroll, purchasing, courier
1-13 services, mail services, reproduction or other printing services,
1-14 and training.
1-15 (b) The council shall review the administrative functions of
1-16 small state agencies to determine the cost-effectiveness of
1-17 acquiring these services through a group contract or an interagency
1-18 agreement.
1-19 (c) If the council determines that a service may be acquired
1-20 in a more cost-effective manner through a group contract or an
1-21 interagency agreement, the council shall:
1-22 (1) prescribe the specifications and conditions for
1-23 acquiring a service through a group contract or an interagency
1-24 agreement; and
1-25 (2) require a small state agency to acquire a service
2-1 through a group contract or an interagency agreement.
2-2 (d) In performing its duties under this section, the council
2-3 shall:
2-4 (1) examine alternatives in the private sector and
2-5 among other state agencies;
2-6 (2) solicit advice and cooperation from the Small
2-7 State Agency Task Force; and
2-8 (3) include in its review the small state agencies
2-9 located in the William P. Clements, Jr., State Office Building and
2-10 the William P. Hobby, Jr., State Office Building, designating a
2-11 small state agency from each building to lead the coordination of
2-12 the review.
2-13 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
2-14 amended by adding Section 403.0222 to read as follows:
2-15 Sec. 403.0222. INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE ON SMALL STATE AGENCY
2-16 REPORTING PROCEDURES. (a) In this section, "small state agency"
2-17 means a state agency with fewer than 100 full-time equivalent
2-18 employees, but not including a state agency that participates in
2-19 the pilot project created by Article 8930, Revised Statutes.
2-20 (b) An interagency task force is created to provide advice
2-21 on the simplification of small state agency reporting procedures.
2-22 (c) The task force is composed of:
2-23 (1) a representative of:
2-24 (A) the Legislative Budget Board, appointed by
2-25 its director;
2-26 (B) the governor's budget office, appointed by
3-1 the governor;
3-2 (C) the state auditor's office, appointed by the
3-3 state auditor;
3-4 (D) the comptroller's office, appointed by the
3-5 comptroller; and
3-6 (E) the General Services Commission, appointed
3-7 by its executive director; and
3-8 (2) the chair of the Small State Agency Task Force
3-9 established informally by certain small state agencies, who serves
3-10 as an ex officio voting member.
3-11 (d) An appointed member of the task force serves at the will
3-12 of the appointing authority.
3-13 (e) The representative of the comptroller's office serves as
3-14 presiding officer. The task force may elect from its members any
3-15 other necessary officers.
3-16 (f) The task force shall meet at the call of the presiding
3-17 officer.
3-18 (g) A task force member is not entitled to additional
3-19 compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for the member's
3-20 travel expenses as provided by Chapter 660 and the General
3-21 Appropriations Act. The agency represented by a member is
3-22 responsible for the payment of the expenses.
3-23 (h) The task force shall:
3-24 (1) identify issues that impede efficiency in small
3-25 state agency reporting procedures, including reports that duplicate
3-26 information required in other reports, frequent reporting
4-1 requirements, and complicated reporting formats;
4-2 (2) develop procedures to address the issues in
4-3 Subdivision (1), such as less frequent reporting schedules and
4-4 simplified reporting formats;
4-5 (3) study other small state agency reporting issues;
4-6 (4) make recommendations based on its findings to each
4-7 member agency; and
4-8 (5) report, before November 1 in each even-numbered
4-9 year, to the governor, the legislature, and the comptroller on
4-10 statutory changes required to implement the task force's
4-11 recommendations. The task force shall also report on nonstatutory
4-12 changes that have been made or that need to be made to implement
4-13 the task force's recommendations.
4-14 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.