78R3117 JRD-D

By:  Lucio                                                        S.B. No. 1403



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring the Department of Information Resources to 
establish an electronically searchable central database for all 
grants that will be awarded by a state agency.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Section 2054.065 to read as follows:
	Sec. 2054.065.  ELECTRONICALLY SEARCHABLE CENTRAL GRANT 
DATABASE.  (a)  In this section, "grant" means a grant, contract, or 
cooperative agreement under which a state agency awards financial 
assistance in the form of money, property, a loan, or another thing 
of value to a governmental or nongovernmental entity and the 
governmental or nongovernmental entity receiving the award is 
responsible for implementing a state or federal program in 
accordance with guidelines provided by the agency awarding the 
grant. The term does not include a contract to obtain a professional 
or consulting service subject to Chapter 2254.
	(b)  The department shall establish an electronically 
searchable central database accessible through TexasOnline that 
will allow a person to:
		(1)  use keyword searches to discover all available 
state agency grant opportunities;
		(2)  obtain basic information regarding each available 
state agency grant opportunity, including basic information about 
the program that the grant recipient will implement, the geographic 
area in which the grant recipient will implement the program, the 
eligibility requirements for obtaining the grant, and the grant 
application process; and
		(3)  electronically link to the portion of the granting 
agency's website at which the person may obtain more detailed 
information about each available state agency grant opportunity.
	(c)  Each state agency that will award a grant shall, 
concurrently with any other action the agency takes to inform the 
public or any person about the grant opportunity, report to the 
department information related to  the grant that the department 
requires in a form prescribed by the department so that the 
department may include information about the grant in the 
electronically searchable central database in accordance with 
Subsection (b).
	(d)  The department and the office of the governor jointly 
shall appoint an advisory committee composed of representatives of 
nine state agencies to advise the department regarding the 
development of the electronically searchable central database and 
regarding the department's exercise of its powers under Subsection 
(c).  The department shall perform the duties imposed by Sections 
2110.005-2110.008 regarding the advisory committee. The advisory 
committee shall meet in Austin.  A state agency that is represented 
on the committee by a person who is not based in the Austin area is 
responsible for any travel expenses incurred by its representative.
	(e)  The department and the office of the governor jointly 
shall appoint an advisory committee composed of five public members 
to annually evaluate the operation of the electronically searchable 
central database.  The department shall perform the duties imposed 
by Sections 2110.004-2110.008 regarding the advisory committee.
	SECTION 2.  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.