SRC-VRA S.B. 736 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 736
78R2070 AKH-FBy: Lindsay
Intergovernmental Relations
3/12/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, cities, counties, and school districts must advertise
notification of requests for bids on purchase contracts once a week for
two weeks in newspapers.  These entities are spending money on newspaper
advertisements, when the  notification could otherwise be done without
charge by posting the same information on the Internet.  As proposed, S.B.
736 would enable these entities to post their bid notices on the Internet. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 44B, Education Code, by adding Section 44.044,
as follows: 

Sec.  44.044.  ELECTRONIC NOTICE.  (a)  Authorizes a school district,
instead of the notice required under Sections 44.031(g) and 44.033(b), to
publish the required notice for at least the two weeks before the deadline
for receiving bids, proposals, or responses to a request for certain
qualifications related to their purchasing and contracting procedures. 

(b)  Requires a school district that publishes notice under this section
to have a link on its Internet website that is clearly identified as the
link to the public notice for the bids, proposals, and responses.  

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 271Z, Local Government Code, by adding Section
271.907, as follows: 

Sec.  271.907.  ELECTRONIC NOTICE.  (a)  Authorizes a county, instead of
the notice required by Sections 262.025(a), 263.007(b), 263.153, 271.055,
and 272.001, to publish the required notice on the Internet for at least
14 days before the date the county takes the action for which the notice
is required.  Requires the notice to be accessible at the county's
universal resource locator address of "http//www.co.(name of
county).tx.us/notices/index.htm." 

(b)  Authorizes a municipality, instead of the notice required by Sections
252.041, 271.055, and 272.001, to publish the required notice on its
Internet website for at least 14 days before the municipality takes the
action for which the notice is required. Requires a municipality that
publishes a notice under this section to have a link on its Internet
website that is clearly identified as the link to the public notice for
the bids, proposals, and responses.  

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 44.031(g), Education Code, to make a conforming
change. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 44.033(b), Education Code, to make a conforming
change. 
 
SECTION 5.  Amends Section 252.041(a), Local Government Code,  to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 6.  Amends Section 262.025(a), Local Government Code,  to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 7.  Amends Section 263.007, Local Government Code, by adding
Subsection (b-1) to authorize a county to publish notice under this
section as provided by Section 271.907.  

SECTION 8.  Amends Section 263.153(a), Local Government Code, to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 9.  Amends Section 272.001(a), Local Government Code,  to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 10.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.