BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 2004

 

By: Eltife; Nelson

 

Finance

 

3/23/2015

 

As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

As many of our state-owned facilities are aging, the legislature needs to appropriately fund deferred maintenance projects, some of which have not been funded in lean budget times. If these needs are not addressed, costs will only increase.

 

S.B. 2004 will put a plan in place to provide that state facilities are properly maintained. This will ensure a safe environment for employees and visitors, the efficiency of building operations, and a long-term reduction in repair costs by promptly addressing deferred maintenance issues.

 

S.B. 2004 establishes a deferred maintenance fund in the general revenue fund. The Joint Oversight Committee on Government Facilities, consisting of three members of the Senate and three members of the House of Representatives, will review and receive implementation updates on deferred maintenance actions taken by state agencies.

 

As proposed, S.B. 2004 relates to deferred maintenance for state facilities.

 

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. (a) Requires the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives to each appoint three members to a Joint Oversight Committee on Government Facilities. Requires the members of the committee to elect a chair.

 

(b)  Requires the lieutenant governor and speaker, if this act become effective immediately, to make the appointments not later than July 1, 2015. Requires the lieutenant governor and speaker, if this act becomes effective September 1, 2015, to make the appointments not later than September 15, 2015.

 

(c) Authorizes the committee established under this section to meet to review deferred maintenance plans and to receive implementation updates.

 

(d) Requires the committee to provide a biannual written status report to the legislature which includes the amount of money appropriated from the deferred maintenance fund, the deferred maintenance projects to be completed through appropriations of the fund, and the status of ongoing and completed projects.

 

(e) Authorizes the committee established under this section to exercise any powers of a joint committee. Authorizes the cost of operation of the committee to be borne in the same manner as the cost of a joint committee. Authorizes the Texas Legislative Council to provide funding for the operations of the committees.  Provides that, to the extent not inconsistent with this resolution, the joint rules adopted by the 84th Legislature for the administration of joint interim legislative study committees apply to the committee established under this section.

 

(f) Expiration date, this section: January 8, 2021.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 2165, Government Code, by adding Subchapter I, as follows:

 

SUBCHAPTER I. DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FUND

 

Sec. 2165.401. PURPOSE; INTENT. Provides that it is the intent of the legislature that state facilities be brought into a better state of repair to ensure the safety of employees and visitors, the efficiency of building operations, and a long-term reduction in repair costs by addressing deferred maintenance needs. Provides that funds under this subchapter are intended to fund projects to this purpose.

 

Sec. 2165.402.  DEFINITION. Defines "fund" in this subchapter.

 

Sec. 2165.403.  DEFERRED MAINTENANCE FUND ACCOUNT. (a) Provides that the deferred maintenance fund is an account in the general revenue fund.

 

(b) Provides that the fund consists of money credited, appropriated, or transferred to the fund at the direction of the legislature.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.