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.