SRC-MSY S.B. 912 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 912 78R7383 MXM-FBy: Ratliff State Affairs 3/27/2003 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Under current state law, state agencies and public universities dispose of their obsolete and surplus computer equipment by transferring the equipment to either a school district or the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. As proposed, S.B. 912 allows such transfers to be made to a nonprofit computer bank to be designated by the school district, where the computers would be reconditioned and placed in the homes of economically disadvantaged students and their families. 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. Reenacts Section 2175.001(1), Government Code, and amends it by adding Subdivision (H) to redefine "assistance organization" to include a nonprofit computer bank that solicits, stores, refurbishes, and redistributes used computer equipment to public school students and their families. SECTION 2. Amends Section 2175.128, Government Code, by adding Subdivisions (a)(1)-(3) and (b)(1)-(3) and Subsection (c), as follows: (a) Makes a nonsubstantive change. (1) Created from existing text. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (2) Requires an institution or agency to make a certain transfer of equipment to an assistance organization specified by the school district under certain circumstances. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (3) Created from existing text. Deletes language prohibiting the state agency from collecting a fee or other reimbursement from the district, the school, or the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the surplus or salvage data processing equipment. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (b) Makes a nonsubstantive change. (1) Created from existing text. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (2) Requires an institution or agency to make a certain transfer of equipment to an assistance organization specified by the school district under certain circumstances. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (3) Created from existing text. Makes a nonsubstantive change. (c) Created from existing text. Prohibits the state eleemosynary institution or institution or agency of higher education, or other state agency from collecting a fee or other reimbursement from the district, school, assistance organization, or Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the surplus for certain equipment transferred under this section. SECTION 3. Amends Sections 2175.304(b) and (c), Government Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 4. Amends Chapter 2175E, Government Code, by adding Section 2175.306, as follows: Sec. 2175.306. EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN AGENCIES. Provides that this chapter does not apply to the disposition of surplus computer equipment by certain state agencies, and provides an exception. Requires those agencies to give preference to transferring the property to a public school, school district, or assistance organization specified by the school district. SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.