AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Current law requires a wide variety of governmental entities to submit various reports.  The number of required reports grows each year and some reports are duplicative.  Other reports are obsolete and no longer useful because related programs or funds have been abolished or because programs and services have changed.

 

H.B. 1781, as engrossed, seeks to identify obsolete or redundant reporting requirements applicable to state agencies.

 

Specifically, H.B. 1781 requires:

 

·         the executive director of each state agency, not later than August 1, 2012, to examine the agency's reporting requirements (established by a state statute enacted before January 1, 2009, and not amended since that date) and identify each reporting requirement that the executive director determines is not necessary to accomplish the objectives of the statute containing the reporting requirement, is redundant of other statutory reporting requirements, or is required under statute to be provided at a frequency for which data is not available; and

 

·         the executive director, not later than August 1, 2012, to provide to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, chair of the House Committee on Government Efficiency and Reform, chair of the Senate Committee on Government Organization, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, and Legislative Budget Board an electronic report that includes each statutory reporting requirement for which the executive director made a determination and the justification for the determination for each reporting requirement.

 

H.B. 1781 amends current law relating to obsolete or redundant reporting requirements applicable to state agencies.

 

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.  Amends Chapter 2052, Government Code, by adding Subchapter E, as follows:

 

SUBCHAPTER E.  OBSOLETE OR REDUNDANT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

 

Sec. 2052.401.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines, in this subchapter,  "executive director" and "state agency."

 

Sec. 2052.402.  EXAMINATION OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  Requires the executive director of each state agency, not later than August 1, 2012, to:

 

(1)  examine the agency's reporting requirements established by a state statute enacted before January 1, 2009, and not amended since that date, and identify each reporting requirement that the executive director determines:

 

(A)  is not necessary to accomplish the objectives of the statute that contains the reporting requirement;

 

(B)  is redundant of other statutory reporting requirements; or

 

(C)  is required under statute to be provided at a frequency for which data is not available; and

 

(2)  provide to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, chair of the House Committee on Government Efficiency and Reform, chair of the Senate Committee on Government Organization, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, and Legislative Budget Board an electronic report that includes:

 

(A)  each statutory reporting requirement for which the executive director made a determination described by Subdivision (1); and

 

(B)  the justification for the executive director's determination for each reporting requirement.

 

(b)  Prohibits the executive director from including in the initial report issued under Subsection (a)(2) a reporting requirement that is required by federal law.

 

Sec. 2052.403.  EXPIRATION.  Provides that this subchapter expires September 1, 2014.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2011.