| TO: | Honorable Rodney Ellis, Chair, Senate Committee on Government Organization |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB899 by Deuell (Relating to hospital district participation in state travel service contracts.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend Chapter 2171, Government Code, to authorize an employee or an officer of a hospital district, for the purpose of obtaining reduced airline fares and reduced travel agent fees, to participate in the contract for travel services that is administered by the Comptroller of Public Accounts. The Comptroller would be authorized to charge a fee not to exceed the costs incurred in providing services.
The Comptroller would be required to periodically review the fees and adjust them as necessary. Fees collected would be required to be deposited into the Hospital District Airline Fares Account in the General Revenue Fund. Funds in the account could be appropriated only for the purposes under Chapter 2171, Government Code.
The Comptroller would be required to adopt rules and make or amend contracts as necessary to administer the provisions of the bill.
The bill would take effect immediately if it were to receive the required two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2009.
Revenue from charging a fee to a hospital district for participation in the comptroller's contract for travel service would depend on the number of employees who would choose to participate; therefore, the amount of revenue gain from fees imposed cannot be estimated. However, it is assumed the amount would not be significant.
Because other local government entities are already authorized by statute to participate in the comptroller's contract for travel service, based on information provided by the comptroller, it is assumed that any costs for implementing provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
Although the bill would not make an appropriation, it would establish the basis for an appropriation.
The bill would do one or more of the following: create or recreate a dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund, create or recreate a special or trust fund either with or outside of the Treasury, or create a dedicated revenue source. The fund, account, or revenue dedication included in the bill would be subject to funds consolidation review by the current Legislature.
| Source Agencies: | 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KK, DB
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