BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.J.R. 41
80R8926 YDB-D By: Patrick, Dan
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under the current appropriations and spending process, the legislature has very little opportunity to finds ways to identify waste, fraud, and abuse. Our current system relies heavily on part-time legislators to appropriate more than $165 billion in state funds in just six months of every other year. This does not allow for legislators to analyze the way in which the money is spent. Moreover, more power rests with those who spend tax money rather than those who appropriate the money.
As proposed, S.J.R. 41 proposes a constitutional amendment to authorize the Texas legislature to create a spending commission modeled after President Reagan's Grace Commission.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Article III, Texas Constitution, by adding Section 31a, as follows:
Sec. 31a. Authorizes the legislature, by general law, to create a commission of members appointed by certain elected officials to audit and study state agencies and institutions in the executive department of state government and recommend ways to reduce or eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in state government operations. Authorizes the legislature, notwithstanding Section 11 or 31 of this article, by general law, to require future legislatures to accept or reject, but not amend, a list of substantive recommendations presented to the legislature by the commission.
SECTION 2. Requires this proposed constitutional amendment to be submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 6, 2007. Sets forth the required language for the ballot.