BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 899

81R4911 TJS-D                                                                                                                 By: Deuell

                                                                                                                  Government Organization

                                                                                                                                            3/20/2009

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

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.

 

As proposed,  S.B. 899 authorizes the benefit of negotiated travel service contracts to be extended to employees of hospital districts who are required to travel on official business.

 

[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 Subsection (j), as follows:

 

(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 comptroller of public accounts' (comptroller) contract for travel services for the purposes of obtaining reduced airline fares and reduced travel agent fees.  Authorizes the comptroller to charge a participating hospital district 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 hospital districts under this subsection.  Requires the comptroller 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 comptroller to adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to administer this subsection.

 

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