BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 611

By: Birdwell

State Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised about possible confusion regarding whether persons appointed by a statewide elected official to certain public entities serve at the pleasure of the appointing officer. S.B. 611 seeks to expressly state that such an appointee serves at the pleasure of the appointing officer.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 611 amends the Government Code to establish that a person appointed by the lieutenant governor or speaker of the house to the governing body of a legislative agency or committee serves at the pleasure of the appointing officer and may be removed or replaced by the appointing officer or the appointing officer's successor. The bill establishes that a person appointed by the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house, or a statewide elected officer to a committee, council, commission, task force, or other public entity with multiple members that does not control or supervise public business or policy and that has as its primary function advising a branch of state government serves at the pleasure of the appointing officer and may be removed or replaced by the appointing officer or the appointing officer's successor. The bill applies to a person serving on an applicable entity on or after the bill's effective date, regardless of whether the person was appointed to the entity before, on, or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.