78R8726 JSA-D


By:  Pickett                                                      H.B. No. 3443



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to statutory authority for certain governmental entities 
to take certain actions to permit the legislature to reduce 
appropriations to those agencies.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Notwithstanding any statute to the contrary, the 
legislature, in its discretion, may determine the amount of each 
appropriation of state funds.  The amounts required by statute for 
entities that receive state funds under Article VII of the General 
Appropriations Act may be reduced or eliminated in order to achieve 
a balanced budget.
	SECTION 2.  (a)  This section applies to the following state 
agencies:       
		(1)  the Texas Aerospace Commission;                                          
		(2)  the Texas Department of Economic Development;                            
		(3)  the Texas Department of Housing and Community 
Affairs;                 
		(4)  the Texas Lottery Commission;                                            
		(5)  the Office of Rural Community Affairs;                                   
		(6)  the Texas Department of Transportation; and                              
		(7)  the Texas Workforce Commission.                                          
	(b)  Notwithstanding any other statute of this state, each 
state agency to which this section applies is authorized to reduce 
expenditures by:
		(1)  consolidating any reports or publications the 
agency is required to make and filing or delivering any of those 
reports or publications exclusively by electronic means;
		(2)  extending the effective period of any license, 
permit, or registration the agency grants or administers;
		(3)  entering into a contract with another governmental 
entity or with a private vendor to carry out any of the agency's 
duties;
		(4)  adopting additional eligibility requirements for 
persons who receive benefits under any law the agency administers 
to ensure that those benefits are received by the most deserving 
persons consistent with the purposes for which the benefits are 
provided;
		(5)  providing that any communication between the 
agency and another person and any document required to be delivered 
to or by the agency, including any application, notice, billing 
statement, receipt, or certificate, may be made or delivered by 
electronic mail or through the Internet; and
		(6)  adopting and collecting fees or charges to cover 
any costs the agency incurs in performing its lawful functions.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.