H.B. 2947 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 2947
By: Casteel
Government Reform
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 
Currently, state agencies are required to coordinate their planning and
program development, to the greatest extent feasible, with regional
planning commissions to ensure effective and orderly implementation of
state programs at the regional level.   

H.B. 2947 requires state agencies to consult with the governing body of
the regional planning commissions when decentralizing programs or services
to public entities or non-profit organizations. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS
SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 772, Government Code, by adding Section
772.011, as follows: 

Sec.  772.011.  DECENTRALIZATION OF STATE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.

(a)Requires that state agencies decentralizing programs to the regional
level consult with the applicable regional planning commission(s) in the
region(s). 
(b)Specifies that the regional planning commissions' geographic state
planning regions established by the governor be used for regional
decentralization of state programs or services. 
(c)Requires state agencies, when decentralizing programs, to consider the
use of regional planning commissions as a means of gaining greater
efficiencies through: shared costs; improved planning; increased
accountability through oversight of programs by local elected officials
and citizens on regional planning commissions' board; and improved
oversight through comprehensive auditing and reporting requirements placed
on regional planning commissions. 
(d)States that any proposed or final rule, order, or guide adopted by a
state agency must indicate how the agency complied with the provisions of
this bill. 

SECTION 2.  Effective Date.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect immediately by receiving a two-thirds vote of all
the members elected to each house.  If this Act does not receive the
necessary vote for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1,
2003.