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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                        C.S.H.B. 15

                                                                                                                                         By: Chisum

                                                                                                                                    Appropriations

                                                                                                        Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Each legislative session, state agencies project the costs of fulfilling their functions and providing important services for the following two-year budget period.  This information, combined with the biennial estimate of revenues submitted to the Governor and the Legislature before the convening of each regular session, are key components to the construction of a General Appropriations Act -- and themselves are comprised of projections related to caseload, population, and enrollment growth, as well as other economic factors.  Committee Substitute House Bill 15 makes adjustments in appropriations for various state agencies, including adjustments necessary to correct underreporting for group insurance enrollment and reimburse agencies for unexpected expenses such as increased utility costs.

 

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

 

In addition to amounts previously appropriated for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2007, C.S.H.B. 15 appropriates the following amounts from the general revenue fund for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to:

 

 

In addition to amounts previously appropriated for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2007, C.S.H.B. 15 appropriates $1,222,827 out of the general revenue fund to the Texas Medical Board for the two-year period ending August 31, 2007, to repay the Governor's Emergency and Deficiency Grant awarded in fiscal year 2006 and to pay operating expenses for licensing and enforcement and an additional $600,248 is appropriated out of the public assurance account to pay for agency operating expenses for licensing and enforcement.  The board may employ an additional six full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) during this period.

 

In addition to amounts previously appropriated for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2007, C.S.H.B. 15 appropriates the following amounts from the general revenue fund for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act to restore reductions in appropriations for commercial air travel:

 

 

In addition to other amounts appropriated for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2009, C.S.H.B. 15 appropriates the following amounts for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2009:

 

 

C.S.H.B. 15 appropriates the following amounts for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2009, for payment for data center services to:

 

 

C.S.H.B. 15 appropriates $8,797,336 out of the general revenue fund to the Department of Information Resources for the state fiscal year ending August 31, 2007, for the purpose of transferring funds to the applicable state agencies for making payments for data center services. 

 

C.S.H.B. 15 appropriates the following amounts out of the general revenue fund to the Department of Information Resources to pay the one-time costs related to the data center services contract:

 

 

As a result of reduced costs due to the implementation of House Bill 1516 (79th, Regular Session), appropriations to the following agencies for the state fiscal year ending August 31, 2007, are reduced by the following amounts:

 

 

As a result of reduced costs due to the implementation of House Bill 1516 (79th, Regular Session), appropriations to the following agencies for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2009, are reduced accordingly:

 

 

C.S.H.B. 15 requires the comptroller with the assistance of affected agencies to allocate any such appropriations or reductions in appropriations from general revenue dedicated accounts or other funds according to the amounts available in the affected accounts or from the sources of other funds and the extent to which the programs supported by the dedicated accounts or sources of other funds are supported by the appropriation or, in the case of a reduction in appropriations, supported by the implementation of House Bill 1516 (79th, Regular Session).

 

C.S.H.B. 15 repeals certain riders from the General Appropriations Act (79th, Regular Session) relating to the Health and Human Services Commission, Department of Aging and Disability Services, and the Department of Family and Protective Services.

 

C.S.H.B. 15 transfers unencumbered amounts appropriated to the Health and Human Services Commission for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2007 as follows:

 

 

C.S.H.B. 15 reduces the unencumbered appropriations from the general revenue fund made by the General Appropriations Act (79th, Regular Session), for state fiscal year ending August 31, 2007, to the Teacher Retirement System by $76,644,468.

 

The appropriations made from general revenue by the 79th Legislature in Section 13.18, Article IX of the General Appropriations Act are reduced by an amount equal to the cumulative amount of appropriations made by this Act from the general revenue fund specifically for the two-year period beginning on the effective date of this Act.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

This Act takes effect immediately.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

 

C.S.H.B. 15 includes all items contained in the original bill except as follows.

 

The substitute provides additional supplemental appropriations for the following agencies:

 

 

The substitute modifies the funding sources and amounts of supplemental appropriations for the Texas Medical Board and authorizes the board to employ additional FTEs.

 

The substitute provides additional supplemental appropriations and restriction on payment of claims for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

 

The substitute modifies the amount of supplemental appropriations for the Texas Building and Procurement Commission for the Stephen F. Austin Building.

 

The substitute provides additional supplemental appropriations for the Texas Forensic Science Commission and authorizes the commission to employ additional FTE.

 

The substitute provides additional supplemental appropriations for the Department of Family and Protective Services and authorizes the department to employ additional FTEs.

 

As a result of reduced costs due to the implementation of House Bill 1516 (79th, Regular Session), the substitute reduces appropriations for the state fiscal year ending August 31, 2007 for the following agencies:

 

 

As a result of reduced costs due to the implementation of House Bill 1516 (79th, Regular Session), the substitute reduces appropriations for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2009, for the following agencies:

 

 

The substitute allows the comptroller to allocate the appropriations or reduction in appropriations among certain sources of funding in SECTION 26.

 

The substitute repeals certain riders in the General Appropriations Act (79th, Regular Session).

 

The substitute transfers unencumbered amounts appropriated to the Health and Human Services Commission for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2007, to the following agencies:

 

 

The substitute reduces unencumbered appropriations to the Teacher Retirement System for use during the state fiscal year ending August 31, 2007.

 

The substitute modifies the provisions relating to the reduction in vetoed funds appropriation.

 

The substitute removes the supplemental appropriation to the Health and Human Services Commission to repay the federal government amounts determined to be due in accordance with the phased-down state contribution for full dual-eligible persons as required by federal law.