BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1550

By: Aycock

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, only certain entities outside of state agencies and public universities are eligible to participate in the Texas Facilities Commission's contract for travel services, which contains preferable rates on airlines, hotels, and rental cars that are secured by the volume purchasing power of the state, its universities, and the eligible entities. H.B. 1550 seeks to permit open-enrollment charter schools, which are supported by state funds, to become eligible to participate in these travel services contracts, so they might enjoy the same financial savings.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Facilities Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1550 amends the Government Code to add an officer or employee of an open-enrollment charter school who is engaged in official business to the persons authorized to participate in the Texas Facilities Commission's contract for travel services and to add an open-enrollment charter school to the entities to which the commission may charge a fee for the costs incurred by the commission in providing such travel services. The bill makes a conforming change relating to the review and adjustment of such a fee.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.