By:  Duncan                                            S.B. No. 736
         2001S0314/1                            
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the continuation and operation of the self-directed
 1-3     semi-independent agency pilot project and the continuation of the
 1-4     Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, the Texas Board of
 1-5     Professional Engineers, and the Texas Board of Architectural
 1-6     Examiners; making an appropriation.
 1-7           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-8           SECTION 1.  Subsection (c), Section 4, Article 8930, Revised
 1-9     Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
1-10           (c)  This Act is subject to Chapter 325, Government Code
1-11     (Texas Sunset Act).  Unless continued in existence as provided by
1-12     that chapter, this Act expires September 1, 2005 [2003].
1-13           SECTION 2.  Section 14, Article 8930, Revised Statutes, is
1-14     amended to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 14.  FEES AND DISPOSITION OF FUNDS.  (a)  Subject to the
1-16     limitations, if any, in the applicable enabling legislation, each
1-17     project agency may set the amount of fees by statute or rule as
1-18     necessary for the purpose of carrying out the functions of the
1-19     project agency.
1-20           (b)  All fees and funds collected by a project agency during
1-21     the pilot project and any funds appropriated to the project agency
1-22     shall be deposited in interest-bearing deposit accounts in the
1-23     Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company.  The comptroller shall
1-24     contract with the project agency for the maintenance of the deposit
1-25     accounts under terms comparable to a contract between a commercial
 2-1     banking institution and its customers.
 2-2           SECTION 3.  Subsection (b), Section 15, Article 8930, Revised
 2-3     Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
 2-4           (b)  If a state agency no longer has status under this Act as
 2-5     a self-directed semi-independent project agency either because of
 2-6     the expiration of this Act or for any other reason, ownership of
 2-7     any property or other asset acquired by the agency during the time
 2-8     the agency participated in the pilot project, including unexpended
 2-9     fees in a deposit account in the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust
2-10     Company, shall be transferred to the state.
2-11           SECTION 4.  Section 901.006, Occupations Code, is amended to
2-12     read as follows:
2-13           Sec. 901.006.  APPLICATION OF SUNSET ACT.  The Texas State
2-14     Board of Public Accountancy is subject to Chapter 325, Government
2-15     Code (Texas Sunset Act).  Unless continued in existence as provided
2-16     by that chapter, the board is abolished and this chapter expires
2-17     September 1, 2005 [2003].
2-18           SECTION 5.  Section 3a, The Texas Engineering Practice Act
2-19     (Article 3271a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to read
2-20     as follows:
2-21           Sec. 3a.  SUNSET PROVISION.  The Texas Board of Professional
2-22     Engineers is subject to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset
2-23     Act).  Unless continued in existence as provided by that chapter,
2-24     the board is abolished and this Act expires September 1, 2005
2-25     [2003].
2-26           SECTION 6.  Section 2a, Chapter 478, Acts of the 45th
 3-1     Legislature, Regular Session, 1937 (Article 249a, Vernon's Texas
 3-2     Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
 3-3           Sec. 2a.  SUNSET PROVISION.  The Texas Board of Architectural
 3-4     Examiners is subject to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset
 3-5     Act).  Unless continued in existence as provided by that chapter,
 3-6     the board is abolished and this Act expires September 1, 2005
 3-7     [2003].
 3-8           SECTION 7.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
 3-9           (b)  To provide a reasonable period for each project agency
3-10     under Article 8930, Revised Statutes, as amended by this Act, to
3-11     establish itself as self-directed semi-independent after the
3-12     conclusion of fiscal year 2001, each agency is appropriated an
3-13     amount equal to 50 percent of that agency's appropriated amount for
3-14     fiscal year 2001.  This appropriation may be spent as the project
3-15     agency directs and shall be repaid to the general revenue fund by
3-16     the agency as funds become available.
3-17           (c)  Examination fees collected prior to September 1, 2001,
3-18     for examinations conducted after September 1, 2001, shall be made
3-19     available to the project agency to be spent as the agency directs.