Honorable John Zerwas, Chair, House Committee on Appropriations
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB636 by Howard (relating to a report on certain pending suits against the state, a state agency, or a state official.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Chapter 403 of the Government Code, regarding the Comptroller of Public Accounts, to require the Comptroller to produce a biennial report that identifies each suit against the state, a state agency, or a state official in which the monetary claim is $10 million or more and is pending as of August 31 of each even-numbered fiscal year.
The bill requires the Comptroller, in preparing the report, to use available information submitted by state agencies for purposes of producing the most recent comprehensive annual financial report under Section 403.013(c) of the Government Code. The bill requires state agencies to provide any information on pending suits on request of the Comptroller for the report. Information relating to a suit provided to or used by the Comptroller to produce the report is confidential and not subject to public information requirements under Chapter 552 of the Government Code.
The bill would require the Comptroller to deliver the report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, House Appropriations Committee, Senate Finance Committee, and the Legislative Budget Board by December 31 of each even-numbered year.
The Comptroller indicates they could produce the report using existing agency resources.
This bill would take effect immediately upon enactment, assuming it received the requisite two-thirds majority votes in both houses of the Legislature. Otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.