C.S.H.B. 629 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


C.S.H.B. 629
By: Pitts
State Affairs
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, state agencies are required to perform audits on
software licenses for software installed at the agency on a biennial basis
and to submit the audit results to the Texas Department of Information
Resources (DIR) for compilation in a report in DIR's legislative
appropriations request.  Evidence obtained from state agencies suggests
that the cost of performing these software audits exceeds the benefit
derived from the audits.  The purpose of C.S.H.B. 629 is to eliminate this
requirement. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the committee that this bill does not expressly
delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer,
department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 629 repeals section 2054.124 of the Government Code. This section
currently requires state agencies to perform a biennial audit of software
licenses for software installed in the agency's desktop and portable
computers, and to submit the audit results to the Texas Department of
Information Resources. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

Upon passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2003. 


COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 629 differs from the original by repealing Section 2054.124 of
the Government Code.  The original did not repeal this section, but rather
amended the section to expand the interval between state agency audits
from two to four years.