By Truan S.B. No. 1425
77R8999 MCK-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to transferring the Office of Defense Affairs to the
1-3 office of the governor.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 481.0065, Government Code, is transferred
1-6 to Subtitle C, Title 4, Government Code, redesignated as Chapter
1-7 436, Government Code, and amended to read as follows:
1-8 CHAPTER 436. OFFICE OF DEFENSE AFFAIRS
1-9 Sec. 436.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "state agency"
1-10 has the meaning assigned by Section 2151.002.
1-11 Sec. 436.002 [481.0065]. OFFICE OF DEFENSE AFFAIRS. (a) The
1-12 governor [department] shall:
1-13 (1) establish and maintain an Office of Defense
1-14 Affairs; and
1-15 (2) appoint a director to manage the Office of Defense
1-16 Affairs.
1-17 (b) The Office of Defense Affairs shall report directly to
1-18 the governor.
1-19 Sec. 436.003. POWERS AND DUTIES. [(b)] The Office of
1-20 Defense Affairs shall:
1-21 (1) provide information to defense-dependent
1-22 communities, the legislature, the Texas congressional delegation,
1-23 and state agencies regarding federal actions affecting military
1-24 installations and missions;
2-1 (2) serve as a clearinghouse for:
2-2 (A) defense economic adjustment and transition
2-3 information and activities along with the Texas Business and
2-4 Community Economic Development Clearinghouse; and
2-5 (B) information about:
2-6 (i) issues related to the operating costs
2-7 and strategic value of federal military installations located in
2-8 the state; and
2-9 (ii) the loss of jobs in defense-dependent
2-10 communities and defense-related businesses;
2-11 (3) provide assistance to defense-dependent
2-12 communities that have experienced a defense-related closure or
2-13 realignment;
2-14 (4) assist defense-dependent communities in the design
2-15 and execution of programs that enhance a community's relationship
2-16 with military installations and defense-related businesses; and
2-17 (5) assist communities in the retention and recruiting
2-18 of defense-related businesses.
2-19 Sec. 436.004. ANNUAL REPORT. (a) [(c)] The Office of
2-20 Defense Affairs shall prepare an annual report about the active
2-21 military installations, defense-dependent communities, and
2-22 defense-related businesses in this state. The report must include:
2-23 (1) an economic impact statement describing in detail
2-24 the effect of the military on the economy of this state;
2-25 (2) a statewide assessment of active military
2-26 installations and current missions;
2-27 (3) a statewide strategy to attract defense-related
3-1 business and prevent future defense closures and realignments;
3-2 (4) a list of state and federal activities that have
3-3 significant impact on active military installations and current
3-4 missions;
3-5 (5) a statement identifying:
3-6 (A) the state and federal programs and services
3-7 that assist defense-dependent communities impacted by military base
3-8 closures or realignments and the efforts to coordinate those
3-9 programs; and
3-10 (B) the efforts to coordinate state agency
3-11 programs and services that assist defense-dependent communities in
3-12 retaining active military installations and current missions;
3-13 (6) an evaluation of initiatives to retain existing
3-14 defense-related businesses; and
3-15 (7) a list of agencies with regulations, policies,
3-16 programs, or services that impact the operating costs or strategic
3-17 value of federal military installations and activities in the
3-18 state.
3-19 (b) [(d)] State agencies shall cooperate with and assist the
3-20 Office of Defense Affairs in the preparation of the report required
3-21 under Subsection (a), [(c)] including providing information about
3-22 regulations, policies, programs, and services that may impact
3-23 defense-dependent communities, defense-related businesses, and the
3-24 viability of existing Texas military missions. The Office of
3-25 Defense Affairs shall submit its report to the governor and the
3-26 legislature not later than July 1 of each year.
3-27 Sec. 436.005. DATABASE OF DEFENSE CONTRACTORS. [(d)] The
4-1 Office of Defense Affairs shall develop and maintain a database of
4-2 the names and public business information of all prime contractors
4-3 and subcontractors operating in this state who perform
4-4 defense-related work.
4-5 Sec. 436.006. ANNUAL MEETING. [(e)] The Office of Defense
4-6 Affairs shall coordinate an annual meeting with the head of each
4-7 state agency, members of the Texas Strategic Military Planning
4-8 Commission, and members of the legislature whose districts contain
4-9 active, closed, or realigned military installations to discuss the
4-10 implementation of the recommendations outlined in the report
4-11 required under Section 436.004 [Subsection (c)].
4-12 Sec. 436.007. CONSULTING AGREEMENTS. [(f)] The Office of
4-13 Defense Affairs may enter into an agreement with a consulting firm
4-14 to provide information and assistance on a pending decision of the
4-15 United States Department of Defense or other federal agency
4-16 regarding the status of military installations and defense-related
4-17 businesses located in this state.
4-18 Sec. 436.008. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT. The governor shall
4-19 provide administrative support to the Office of Defense Affairs.
4-20 [(g) In this section, "state agency" has the meaning assigned
4-21 by Section 2151.002.]
4-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.