This website will be unavailable from Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. through Monday, June 3, 2024 at 7:00 a.m. due to data center maintenance.

                                                                                


By:  Whitmire                                                     S.B. No. 29 
	(In the Senate - Filed July 3, 2003; July 3, 2003, read 
first time and referred to Committee on Government Organization; 
July 14, 2003, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 6, 
Nays 0; July 14, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to creating a Legislative Policy Council to perform policy 
analysis and related empirical analysis and research.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subtitle C, Title 3, Government Code, is amended 
by adding Chapter 331 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 331.  LEGISLATIVE POLICY COUNCIL
	Sec. 331.001.  LEGISLATIVE POLICY COUNCIL.  The Legislative 
Policy Council is an agency in the legislative branch of state 
government.
	Sec. 331.002.  MEMBERSHIP.  (a)  The council is composed of 
the lieutenant governor, four members of the senate appointed by 
the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of 
representatives,  and four members of the house of representatives 
appointed by the speaker.
	(b)  The lieutenant governor is the chairman of the council 
and the speaker of the house of representatives is the vice 
chairman.
	Sec. 331.003.  QUORUM; MEETINGS.  (a)  A majority of the 
members of the council from each house constitutes a quorum to 
transact business.
	(b)  The council shall meet at the call of the chairman or on 
written petition of a majority of the members of the council from 
each house.
	(c)  The council shall meet in Austin, except that if a 
majority of the members of the council from each house agree, the 
council may meet in any location determined by the council.
	(d)  Each member of the legislature is entitled to attend and 
present the member's views in any meeting of the council.  A 
legislator who is not a member of the council may not vote.
	Sec. 331.004.  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR; PERSONNEL.  (a)  The 
council may employ an executive director.
	(b)  The executive director, with the approval of the 
council, may employ necessary personnel.
	Sec. 331.005.  COUNCIL EXPENDITURES; SALARIES.  (a)  The 
amount of allowable expenditures for the council is determined by 
legislative appropriation.
	(b)  The council shall determine the salaries of its 
employees.       
	Sec. 331.006.  GIFTS AND GRANTS.  (a)  The council may 
accept gifts, grants, and donations from any organization described 
in  Section 501(c)(3), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, 
for the purpose of funding any activity under this chapter.
	(b)  All gifts, grants, and donations must be accepted in an 
open meeting by a majority of the voting members of the council and 
reported in the minutes of the council meeting with the name of the 
donor and purpose of the gift, grant, or donation.
	Sec. 331.007.  DUTIES.  The council staff shall perform 
policy analysis and related empirical analysis and research at the 
direction of the council regarding issues and matters identified by 
the council that may affect state revenue or appropriations or that 
may be the subject of legislation or proposed amendments to the 
Texas Constitution.
	Sec. 331.008.  AGENCY COOPERATION.  Each state agency in any 
branch of state government shall cooperate with the council in 
providing the council with the information the council requires to 
perform its duties.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the 
legislative session.



* * * * *