BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center                                                                                                     H.B. 3552

81R25450 PAM-D                                                                                         By: Bonnen (Gallegos)

State Affairs

5/19/2009

Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Regional planning commissions were originally established in part as a way to study and better plan for the development of regions throughout Texas.  However, during the past couple of decades, regional planning commissions have been transformed into a means through which federal and state funds are channeled.  Some members of some regional planning commissions, generally governmental units that are comprised of smaller populations, have complained their areas have not received an appropriate share of attention or resources from the regional planning commissions. 

H.B. 3552 requires the state auditor to conduct an audit of certain regional planning commissions and forward the report to the commissioners court of certain counties, and to certain other governing bodies upon request.

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. (a)  Requires the state auditor, before June 1, 2010, to audit a regional planning commission created under Chapter 391 (Regional Planning Commissions), Local Government Code, that includes a county with a population of 3.3 million or more, according to the most recent federal decennial census.  Requires that the cost of the audit be paid for by the regional planning commission. 

(b)  Requires the state auditor, on or before June 1, 2010, to submit a report of an audit conducted under Subsection (a) of this section to the commissioners court of a county with a population of 240,000 or more, according to the most recent federal decennial census, that borders the Gulf of Mexico and is a member of a regional planning commission described by Subsection (a) of this section, and the governing body of any other political subdivision that is a member of a regional planning commission described by Subsection (a) of this section, if the governing body requests a report from the state auditor. 

(c)  Provides that this section expires January 1, 2011.

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.