SRC-VRA S.B. 1418 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1418 By: Ratliff Government Organization 4/7/2003 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Current Texas law authorizes the lieutenant governor to appoint certain individuals to various boards, councils, commissions and committees. As proposed, S.B. 1418 amends current statute to restructure the membership of various entities. 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, 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 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 members appointed by the lieutenant governor from one to two. SECTION 3. Amends Section 71.052, Government Code, as follows: (1)(C) Provides that a senate member is designated by the lieutenant governor from senate members serving on the Texas Judicial Council's Task Force on Indigent Defense (council) rather than being appointed. (2) Removes the chair of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee as a council member and replaces with a senate member appointed by the lieutenant governor. SECTION 4. Amends Sections 321.002 (a) and (b), as follows: (a) to remove the chair of the Senate State Affairs Committee and the chair of the Senate Finance Committee from the Legislative Audit Committee and replaces them with two senate members appointed by the lieutenant governor. (b) Requires the vice-chairman fo the respective committee to act in the absence of the chairman of a house rather than a house or senate committee. SECTION 5. Amends Section 322.001(a), Government Code, to remove the chair of the Senate State Affairs Committee and the chair of the Senate Finance Committee from the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) and increase the number of senate members appointed to LBB by the lieutenant governor from two to four. 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 that committee 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 concerning veteran affairs and military installations from the Texas Strategic Military Planning Commission and replace the chair 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. Provides 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 committee concerning matters related to natural resources from the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Advisory Board and replace that presiding officer 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 concerning matters related to natural resources from the Oil-Field Cleanup Fund Advisory Board and replace that presiding officer 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: (b) Removes the chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development from the Legislative Oversight Committee and increases the number of members appointed by the lieutenant governor from two to three. (h) Requires the chair of the House Committee on State Affairs and one of the members of the senate serving on the committee, designated by the lieutenant governor, to serve as joint chairs of the committee. SECTION 13. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.