BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 899
By: Deuell
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, the comptroller of public accounts is authorized to negotiate with private travel agents and transportation providers to develop reduced travel rates for certain public employees traveling on official business.
S.B. 899 amends current law relating to the participation in state travel service contracts by certain local governmental entities.
[Note: While the statutory reference in this bill is to the commission, Section 2171.0011 (Transfer of Duties; Reference), Government Code, provides that a reference to the commission means the Office of the Comptroller.]
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the comptroller of public accounts in SECTION 1 (Section 2171.055, Government Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 2171.055, Government Code, by adding Subsections (i) and (j), as follows:
(i) Authorizes an officer or employee of a transportation or transit authority, department, district, or system established under Subtitle K (Mass Transportation), Title 6 (Roadways), Transportation Code, who is engaged in official business of the authority, department, district, or system to participate in the comptroller of public accounts' (comptroller) contracts for travel services. Authorizes the comptroller to charge a participating authority, department, district, or system a fee not to exceed the costs incurred by the comptroller in providing services under this subsection. Requires the comptroller to periodically review fees and adjust them as needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services to authorities, departments, districts, and systems under this subsection.
(j) Authorizes an officer or employee of a hospital district created under general or special law who is engaged in official hospital district business to participate in the commission's contract for travel services for the purposes of obtaining reduced airline fares and reduced travel agent fees. Authorizes the commission to charge a participating hospital district a fee not to exceed the costs incurred by the commission in providing services under this subsection. Requires the commission to periodically review fees and adjust them as needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in providing services to hospital districts under this subsection. Requires the commission to deposit the fees collected under this subsection to the credit of the hospital district airline fares account. Provides that the hospital district airline fares account is an account in the general revenue fund that is authorized to be appropriated only for the purposes of this chapter. Requires the commission to adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to administer this subsection.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.