| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to an audit by the state auditor and a study by the |
|
|
comptroller of the events trust funds. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. (a) The state auditor shall conduct an audit to |
|
|
determine the efficiency and effectiveness of funding events |
|
|
through an events trust fund authorized under Section 5, 5A, 5B, or |
|
|
5C, Chapter 1507 (Senate Bill No. 456), Acts of the 76th |
|
|
Legislature, Regular Session, 1999 (Article 5190.14, Vernon's |
|
|
Texas Civil Statutes). |
|
|
(b) The audit, at a minimum, must determine whether money |
|
|
from an events trust fund is efficiently and effectively: |
|
|
(1) disbursed in compliance with Section 5, 5A, 5B, or |
|
|
5C, Chapter 1507 (Senate Bill No. 456), Acts of the 76th |
|
|
Legislature, Regular Session, 1999 (Article 5190.14, Vernon's |
|
|
Texas Civil Statutes), as applicable, the Government Code, and |
|
|
other relevant laws or standards; |
|
|
(2) monitored so that the event and the persons and |
|
|
entities that receive money from the fund comply with the terms of |
|
|
applicable agreements and with the applicable sections of Chapter |
|
|
1507, the Government Code, and other relevant laws or standards; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(3) maintained to provide adequate financial control |
|
|
systems and to ensure accountability for use of the money. |
|
|
(c) The state auditor shall prepare a report of the audit |
|
|
conducted under this section. Not later than January 1, 2015, the |
|
|
state auditor shall electronically file a copy of the report with |
|
|
the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
|
|
representatives, and the presiding officer of each standing |
|
|
committee of the senate and house of representatives having primary |
|
|
jurisdiction over fiscal matters or matters related to tourism or |
|
|
recreation. The report must include details on: |
|
|
(1) the process for approving the disbursement of |
|
|
money through an events trust fund; and |
|
|
(2) the degree to which past and present recipients of |
|
|
money from a fund have complied with the terms of event agreements |
|
|
and with the applicable sections of Chapter 1507 (Senate Bill No. |
|
|
456), Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999 (Article |
|
|
5190.14, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), the Government Code, and |
|
|
other relevant laws or standards. |
|
|
SECTION 2. (a) The comptroller of public accounts shall |
|
|
conduct a study to determine: |
|
|
(1) the economic impact of the events that qualify for |
|
|
funding through an events trust fund; and |
|
|
(2) whether the events would likely be held in this |
|
|
state in the absence of the incentives provided through the fund. |
|
|
(b) The comptroller of public accounts shall prepare a |
|
|
report of the findings from the study conducted under this section. |
|
|
Not later than January 1, 2015, the comptroller shall |
|
|
electronically file a copy of the report with the lieutenant |
|
|
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the |
|
|
presiding officer of each standing committee of the senate and |
|
|
house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over fiscal |
|
|
matters or matters related to tourism or recreation. |
|
|
SECTION 3. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the |
|
|
comptroller of public accounts shall reimburse the state auditor |
|
|
for the cost of the audit conducted under Section 1 of this Act. The |
|
|
comptroller may reimburse the state auditor from the funds |
|
|
described by Subsection (b) of this section or the money collected |
|
|
in the manner described by Subsection (c) of this section, or with a |
|
|
combination of the funds and money. |
|
|
(b) The comptroller may reimburse the state auditor using |
|
|
any balances available in the 2014 state fiscal year from the events |
|
|
trust funds established under Section 5, 5A, 5B, or 5C, Chapter 1507 |
|
|
(Senate Bill No. 456), Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular |
|
|
Session, 1999 (Article 5190.14, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes). |
|
|
The comptroller shall pay the audit cost proportionally from the |
|
|
established funds based on the maximum balances in the funds during |
|
|
the 2014 state fiscal year. |
|
|
(c) The comptroller may reimburse the state auditor using |
|
|
money collected by deducting an administrative fee not to exceed |
|
|
three percent from amounts disbursed from the funds. The |
|
|
comptroller may deduct this fee until the comptroller has collected |
|
|
an amount sufficient to reimburse the state auditor under this |
|
|
section. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act expires September 1, 2015. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |