78R7892 KEG-D

By:  Hilderbran                                                   H.B. No. 2590



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the decentralization of certain state agencies and to 
the location of the headquarters of certain state agencies.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  DEFINITION.  In this Act, "state agency" means an 
office, institution, or other agency that is in the executive 
branch of state government, has authority that is not limited to a 
geographical portion of the state, and was created by the 
constitution or a statute of this state, but does not include an 
institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003, 
Education Code.
	SECTION 2.  REVIEW.  Not later than September 1, 2004, the 
board or other governing body of a state agency shall conduct a 
thorough review of the agency's organizational structure to 
identify:
		(1)  programs, functions, and administration of the 
agency that are unnecessarily or inappropriately consolidated in a 
certain geographic area of the state;
		(2)  whether the state agency's headquarters is 
unnecessarily or inappropriately located in the Austin area; and
		(3)  any specific barriers to:                                                
			(A)  decentralizing the agency's programs, 
functions, and administration by distributing them throughout a 
greater geographic portion of the state; or
			(B)  moving the agency's headquarters from the 
Austin area to a different geographic area of the state.
	SECTION 3.  RECOMMENDATIONS.  Based on information 
identified in a review under Section 2 of this Act, the board or 
other governing body of a state agency shall, not later than October 
1, 2004, develop specific recommendations regarding:
		(1)  whether the organizational structure of the agency 
should be decentralized throughout a greater geographic portion of 
the state; and
		(2)  whether the headquarters of the agency should be 
moved from the Austin area to a different geographic area of the 
state.
	SECTION 4.  PLAN.  Not later than December 1, 2004, if a 
decentralization or move is recommended under Section 3 of this Act 
by the board or other governing body of a state agency, the state 
agency shall develop an appropriate plan to:
		(1)  decentralize the organizational structure of the 
agency throughout a greater geographic portion of the state or move 
the headquarters of the agency from the Austin area to a different 
geographic area of the state; and
		(2)  modify the agency's programs, policies, 
procedures, and administration as necessary to facilitate the 
decentralization or move.
	SECTION 5.  TRANSITION.  Not later than January 1, 2005, a 
state agency shall submit to the 79th Legislature a report 
regarding the results of a review under Section 2 of this Act, any 
recommendations issued under Section 3 of this Act, and any plan 
developed by the board or other governing body of the state agency 
under Section 4 of this Act.  A report must include the state 
agency's recommendations for any statutory changes required to 
facilitate a recommended decentralization or move or a modification 
of the agency's programs, policies, procedures, or administration 
that is necessary to facilitate the recommended decentralization or 
move.
	SECTION 6.  EFFECTIVE DATE; EXPIRATION.  (a)  This Act takes 
effect September 1, 2003.
	(b)  This Act expires September 1, 2005.