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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to strategic fiscal reviews for state agencies and |
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programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Chapter 322, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 322.0175 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 322.0175. STRATEGIC FISCAL REVIEW OF STATE AGENCIES |
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AND PROGRAMS. |
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(a) The board shall perform a strategic fiscal review for |
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all state agencies currently the subject of Sunset Advisory |
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Commission review under Chapter 325, Government Code. |
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(b) The board shall prepare and submit a report of the |
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findings of the strategic fiscal review by September 1 of even |
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numbered years to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the |
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house, senate finance committee, and house appropriations |
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committee. |
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(c) The strategic fiscal review report will contain: |
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(1) a description of the discrete activities the state |
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agency is charged with conducting or performing together with: |
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(A) a justification for each activity by |
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reference to a statute or other legal authority; and |
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(B) an evaluation of the effectiveness and |
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efficiency of the state agency's policies, management, fiscal |
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affairs, and operations in relation to each activity; |
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(2) for each activity identified under Subdivision |
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(1), a quantitative estimate of any adverse effects that reasonably |
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may be expected to result if the activity were discontinued, |
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together with a description of the methods by which the adverse |
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effects were estimated; |
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(3) for each activity identified under Subdivision |
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(1), an itemized account of expenditures required to maintain the |
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activity at the minimum level of service or performance required by |
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the statute or other legal authority, together with a concise |
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statement of the quantity and quality of service or performance |
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required at that minimum level; |
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(4) for each activity identified under Subdivision |
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(1), an itemized account of expenditures required to maintain the |
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activity at the current level of service or performance, together |
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with a concise statement of the quantity and quality of service or |
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performance provided at that current level; |
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(5) a ranking of activities identified under |
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Subdivision (1) that illustrates the relative importance of each |
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activity to the overall goals and purposes of the state agency at |
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current service or performance levels; and |
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(6) recommendations to the legislature regarding |
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whether the legislature should continue funding each activity |
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identified under Subdivision (1) and, if so, at what level. |
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(d) The legislature may consider the strategic fiscal |
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review reports in connection with the legislative appropriation |
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process. |
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(e) Until the board has completed a strategic fiscal review |
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under this section, all information, documentary or otherwise, |
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prepared or maintained in conducting the strategic fiscal review or |
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preparing the strategic fiscal review report, including |
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intra-agency and interagency communications and drafts of the |
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strategic fiscal review report, or portions of those drafts, is |
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excepted from required public disclosure as audit working papers |
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under Section 552.116. This subsection does not affect whether |
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information described by this subsection is confidential or |
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excepted from required public disclosure under a law other than |
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Section 552.116. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |