By: Watson, Patrick S.B. No. 1652

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the implementation of new processes for the purposes of budget transparency, fiscal responsibility, and open government.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 322.003, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

(f) The board shall hold a public hearing in November of each state fiscal year to hear a report from the comptroller and receive public testimony regarding the financial condition of this state. The report from the comptroller must:

(1) specify for each revenue source included in determining the estimate of anticipated revenue for purposes of the most recent statement required by Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution, the total net revenue actually collected from that source for the state fiscal year as of the end of the most recent state fiscal quarter;

(2) compare for the period described by Subdivision (1) the total net revenue collected from each revenue source required to be specified under that subdivision with the anticipated revenue from that source that was included for purposes of determining the estimate of anticipated revenue in the statement required by Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution;

(3) specify for each state revenue source resulting from a law taking effect after the comptroller submitted the most recent statement required by Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution, the estimated total net revenue collected from that source for the state fiscal year as of the end of the most recent state fiscal quarter;

(4) summarize indicators of state economic trends experienced since the most recent statement required by Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution; and

(5) summarize anticipated state economic trends and the anticipated effect of the trends on state revenue collections.

SECTION 2. Section 322.008, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) For each state fee the amount of which is proposed or authorized to be increased by a provision of the general appropriations bill, the general appropriations bill must set out in a separate section of the bill:

(1) the statutory authority for the fee;

(2) the amount of the fee increase;

(3) each purpose for which the fee revenue is to be used; and

(4) into which fund the fee revenue will be deposited.

SECTION 3. Chapter 322, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 322.022 to read as follows:

Sec. 322.022. PUBLIC HEARING ON INTERIM BUDGET REDUCTION REQUEST. (a) In this section:

(1) "Interim budget reduction request" means a request communicated in any manner for a state agency to make adjustments to the strategies, methods of finance, performance measures, or riders applicable to the agency through the state budget in effect on the date the request is communicated that, if implemented, would reduce the agency's total expenditures for the current state fiscal biennium to an amount less than the total amount that otherwise would be permissible based on the appropriations made to the agency in the budget.

(2) "State agency" means an office, department, board, commission, institution, or other entity to which a legislative appropriation is made.

(b) A state agency shall provide to the board a detailed report of any expenditure reduction plan that:

(1) the agency develops in response to an interim budget reduction request made by the governor, the lieutenant governor, or a member of the legislature, or any combination of those persons; and

(2) if implemented, would reduce the agency's total expenditures for the current state fiscal biennium to an amount less than the total amount that otherwise would be permissible based on the appropriations made to the agency in the state budget for the biennium.

(c) The board shall hold a public hearing to solicit testimony on an expenditure reduction plan a state agency reports to the board as required by Subsection (b) as soon as practicable after receiving the report. The agency may not implement any element of the plan until the conclusion of the hearing.

(d) This section does not apply to an expenditure reduction a state agency desires to make that does not directly or indirectly result from an interim budget reduction request made by the governor, the lieutenant governor, or a member of the legislature, or any combination of those persons.

SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 403.0145 to read as follows:

Sec. 403.0145. PUBLICATION OF FEES SCHEDULE. As soon as practicable after the end of each state fiscal year, the comptroller shall publish a schedule of all revenue to the state from fees authorized by statute. For each fee, the schedule must specify:

(1) the purpose for which the fee revenue is to be used;

(2) if the fee has been increased during the most recent legislative session, the amount of the increase;

(3) into which fund the fee revenue will be deposited; and

(4) the amount of the fee revenue that will be considered available for general governmental purposes and accordingly considered available for the purpose of certification under Section 403.121.

SECTION 5. Section 404.124, Government Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(a) Before issuing notes the comptroller shall submit to the committee a general revenue cash flow shortfall forecast, based on the comptroller's most recent anticipated revenue estimate. The forecast must contain a detailed report of estimated revenues and expenditures for each month and each major revenue and expenditure category and must demonstrate the maximum general revenue cash flow shortfall that may be predicted. The committee shall hold a public hearing to solicit testimony on the forecast, including testimony on this state's overall economic condition, as soon as practicable after receiving the forecast.

(b) Based on the forecast and testimony provided at the hearing required by Subsection (a), the committee may approve the issuance of notes, subject to Subsections (b-1) and (c), and the maximum outstanding balance of notes in any fiscal year. The outstanding balance may not exceed the maximum temporary cash shortfall forecast by the comptroller for any period in the fiscal year. The comptroller may not issue notes in excess of the amount approved.

(b-1) The committee's approval of the issuance of notes granted under Subsection (b) expires on the 91st day after the date the hearing conducted under Subsection (a) concludes. The comptroller may not issue notes on or after the 91st day unless the comptroller submits another general revenue cash flow shortfall forecast to the committee and the committee subsequently grants approval for the issuance of the notes in accordance with the procedure required by Subsections (a) and (b). Each subsequent approval expires on the 61st day after the date the hearing on which the approval was based concludes.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2011.