S.B. 1418 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 1418
By: Ratliff
State Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current Texas law requires the lieutenant governor to appoint certain
individuals to various boards, councils, commissions, and committees.  The
purpose of Senate Bill 1418 is to amend a number of statutes relating to
the membership of various entities by removing specific senate committee
chairs from membership, and replacing them with senators appointed by the
lieutenant governor. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 2.004(b), Agriculture Code, to remove the chair
of the Senate Natural Resources Committee from the Texas Agriculture
Policy Board and increase the number of senate members appointed by the
lieutenant governor from three to four. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 71.012, Government Code, to remove the chair of
the Senate Jurisprudence Committee from the Texas Judicial Council and
increase the number of senate members appointed by the lieutenant governor
from one to two. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 71.052, Government Code, to remove the chair of
the Senate Criminal Justice Committee from the Texas Judicial Council's
Task Force on Indigent Defense and to provide that a senate member serving
on the Texas Judicial Council who is designated by the lieutenant
governor, as well as one other member of the senate appointed by the
lieutenant governor, shall serve on the Task Force. 

SECTION 4.  Amends Section 321.002 (a), Government Code, to remove the
chair of the Senate State Affairs Committee from the Legislative Audit
Committee and replace that member with a senate member appointed by the
lieutenant governor. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 322.001(a), Government Code, to remove the
chair of the Senate State Affairs Committee from the Legislative Budget
Board (LBB) and increase the number of senate members appointed to the LBB
by the lieutenant governor from two to three. 

SECTION 6.  Amends Section 323.001(b), Government Code, to remove the
chair of the Senate Administration Committee from the Texas Legislative
Council and increase the number of senate members appointed to the Council
by the lieutenant governor from four to five. 

SECTION 7.  Amends Section 324.004(b), Government Code, to remove the
chair of the Senate Finance Committee from the Legislative Library Board
and increase the number of senate members appointed by the lieutenant
governor from one to two. 

SECTION 8.  Amends Section 436.003, Government Code, to remove the chair
of the senate committee that has primary jurisdiction concerning veteran
affairs and military installations from the Texas Strategic Military
Planning Commission and replace that member with a senate member appointed
by the lieutenant governor. 

 SECTION 9.  Amends Section 436.004(a), Government Code, to provide that a
house member vacates the position on the Texas Strategic Military Planning
Commission if that member ceases to be the chair of the applicable
legislative committee, and to provide that a senate member serves on that
commission at the pleasure of the lieutenant governor. 

SECTION 10.  Amends Section 386.058(f), Health and Safety Code, to remove
the presiding officer of the senate standing committee having primary
jurisdiction over matters related to natural resources from the Texas
Emissions Reduction Plan Advisory Committee and replace that member with a
senate member appointed by the lieutenant governor. 

SECTION 11.  Amends Section 91.1135(b), Natural Resources Code, to remove
the presiding officer of the senate committee with primary jurisdiction
over matters affecting natural resources from the Oil-Field Cleanup Fund
Advisory Board and replace that member with a senate member appointed by
the lieutenant governor. 

SECTION 12.  Amends 39.907, Utilities Code, by amending Subsection (b) and
adding Subsection (h), as follows: 

_Removes the chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development from
the Electric Utility Restructuring Legislative Oversight Committee and
increases the number of senate members appointed by the lieutenant
governor from two to three. 

_Requires the chair of the House Committee on State Affairs and one of the
members of the senate serving on the Electric Utility Restructuring
Legislative Oversight Committee, designated by the lieutenant governor, to
serve as joint chairs of the Electric Utility Restructuring Legislative
Oversight Committee. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

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