BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                           H.B. 2164

                                                                                                                                        By: Dunnam

                                                                                                                                    County Affairs

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Current law prescribes a very narrow range of allowable uses for the county clerk's Records Management and Preservation Fee.  In some counties, county records of the clerk and other departments are co-located in order to save on storage and facilities costs.  Due to limitations in the allowable uses for the Records Management and Preservation Fee, funds can only be used for repairs or improvements to the storage facility. 

 

H.B. 2164 simply allows the commissioners court and the clerk to have the option to use records management and preservation funds for repairs and renovations to facilities that are related to records management and preservation of county records. 

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.   Amends Sections 118.0216(a), (d), and (e), Local Government Code, as follows:

 

            (a) Allows the fee for "Records Management and Preservation" under Section 118.011 to be used for repairs or renovations to facilities related to records management and preservation of county records.

                       

            (d) Authorizes the fee to provide funds for the repairs and renovations to facilities used to store filed and recorded documents.

 

            (e) Additionally requires county clerks from counties adjacent to an international boundary to include in annual written plans for the funding of projects, any repairs and renovations to facilities used to store filed and recorded documents.

 

SECTION 2.   Effective Date

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2005.