BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                          S.B. 23

79S30773 JRD-D                                                                                                By: Williams, Janek

                                                                                                                                                Finance

                                                                                                                                            5/11/2006

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In January, the State Auditor's Office (SAO) conducted a review of the financial impact of Hurricane Rita on the Lamar University System.  SAO concluded that the total loss to the schools was $42,855,891, of which FEMA would likely reimburse $30.2 million.  This loss includes $36,953,430 in debris removal, emergency and permanent repairs, and reconstruction and a revenue loss of $5,902,461.  The Lamar University System has already received approximately $9,500,000 from FEMA, leaving a balance of $33,500,000. 

 

S.B. 23 provides $33,500,000 in fiscal year 2006 for unreimbursed hurricane costs and revenue losses for the Lamar University System.  This appropriation would compensate the schools for hurricane damages that have not been covered by FEMA. 

 

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.  DEFINITION.  Defines "Lamar University or its related institutions."

 

SECTION 2.  APPROPRIATIONS.  (a)  Provides that in addition to amounts previously appropriated for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2007, the amount of $33,500,000 is appropriated out of the general revenue fund to the Texas State University System (TSUS) for the remainder of the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2007, to pay the costs of or reimburse expenditures for repairing or replacing buildings and equipment damaged by Hurricane Rita at Lamar University or its related institutions.

 

(b)  Requires TSUS to distribute the money appropriated by Subsection (a) of this section to Lamar University and its related intuitions, allocating the money among Lamar University and its related institutions as TSUS considers appropriate to address the hurricane-related needs of those institutions.   

 

SECTION 3.  FEDERAL MONEY. (a) Provides that if TSUS, Lamar University or its related institutions, or another state agency, institution, or office receives reimbursement from the federal government for expenditures made by the state for the purposes described by Section 2 of this Act, the amounts received may not be spent without the prior approval of the governor and the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) and provides that any state statute dedicating that money for a particular purpose does not apply.

 

(b)  Provides that it is the intent of the legislature that the governor and the LBB consider the money described by Subsection (a) of this section to be available for budget execution transfers to the extent that the governor and the LBB determine that the federal reimbursement covers the same costs or expenditures as those covered by the appropriation made by this Act.

 

SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.  Effective date: upon passage or the 91st day after adjournment.