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By:  McClendon                                                    H.B. No. 84 



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority and functions of the Office of Defense 
Affairs.   
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 481.0065, Government Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
	Sec. 481.0065.  OFFICE OF DEFENSE AFFAIRS.  (a)  The 
department shall:       
		(1)  establish and maintain an Office of Defense 
Affairs; and               
		(2)  appoint a director to manage the Office of Defense 
Affairs.            
	(b)  The Office of Defense Affairs shall:                                      
		(1)  provide information to defense-dependent 
communities, the legislature, the Texas congressional delegation, 
and state agencies regarding federal actions affecting military 
installations and missions;
		(2)  serve as a clearinghouse for:                                            
			(A)  defense economic adjustment and transition 
information and activities [along with the Texas Business and 
Community Economic Development Clearinghouse]; and
			(B)  information about:                                                      
				(i)  issues related to the operating costs 
and strategic value of federal military installations located in 
the state; [and]
				(ii)  the loss of jobs in defense-dependent 
communities and defense-related businesses; and
				(iii)  interstate competition relative to 
defense strategies and incentive programs that other states are 
utilizing to maintain, expand, and attract new defense contractors;
		(3)  provide assistance to defense-dependent 
communities that have experienced a defense-related closure or 
realignment, including the administration and oversight for 
implementing the programs established under Chapter 486, 
Government Code, and Chapter 2310, Government Code;
		(4)  assist defense-dependent communities in the 
design and execution of programs that enhance a community's 
relationship with military installations and defense-related 
businesses; [and]
		(5)  assist communities in the retention, expansion,
and recruiting of defense-related businesses; and
		(6)  assist with the development of state strategies 
and programs to protect the state's existing military missions and 
position Texas to be competitive for new or expanded military 
missions; and
		(7)  serve as the state's focal point for the 
coordination of all issues and policies that would affect active, 
closed, or realigned military installations and defense-related 
business.
	(c)  The Office of Defense Affairs shall prepare an annual 
report about the active military installations, defense-dependent 
communities, and defense-related businesses in this state.  The 
report must include:
		(1)  an economic impact statement describing in detail 
the effect of the military on the economy of this state;
		(2)  a statewide assessment of active military 
installations and current missions;
		(3)  a statewide strategy to attract defense-related 
business and prevent future defense closures and realignments;
		(4)  a list of state and federal activities that have 
significant impact on active military installations and current 
missions;
		(5)  a statement identifying:                                                 
			(A)  the state and federal programs and services 
that assist defense-dependent communities impacted by military 
base closures or realignments and the efforts to coordinate those 
programs; and
			(B)  the efforts to coordinate state agency 
programs and services that assist defense-dependent communities in 
retaining active military installations and current missions;
		(6)  an evaluation of initiatives to retain existing 
defense-related businesses; and
		(7)  a list of agencies with regulations, policies, 
programs, or services that impact the operating costs or strategic 
value of federal military installations and activities in the 
state.
	(d)  State agencies shall cooperate with and assist the 
Office of Defense Affairs in the preparation of the report required 
under Subsection (c) including providing information about 
regulations, policies, programs, and services that may impact 
defense-dependent communities, defense-related businesses, and the 
viability of existing Texas military missions.  The Office of 
Defense Affairs shall submit its report to the governor and the 
legislature not later than July 1 of each year.
	(e)  The Office of Defense Affairs shall coordinate an annual 
meeting with the head of each state agency, members of the Texas 
Strategic Military Planning Commission, and members of the 
legislature whose districts contain active, closed, or realigned 
military installations to discuss the implementation of the 
recommendations outlined in the report required under Subsection 
(c).
	(f) [(d)]  The Office of Defense Affairs shall develop and 
maintain a database of the names and public business information of 
all prime contractors and subcontractors operating in this state 
who perform defense-related work.
	[(f)  The Office of Defense Affairs may enter into an 
agreement with a consulting firm to provide information and 
assistance on a pending decision of the United States Department of 
Defense or other federal agency regarding the status of military 
installations and defense-related businesses located in this 
state.]
	(g)  In this section, "state agency" has the meaning assigned 
by Section 2151.002.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.