BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 68

By: Nelson

Appropriations

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that information gleaned from a strategic fiscal review of certain state agencies by the Legislative Budget Board would benefit the legislature in its appropriation deliberations. S.B. 68 seeks to provide for such a review of each state agency that is currently the subject of Sunset Advisory Commission review under the Texas Sunset Act.

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. 68 amends the Government Code to require the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) to perform a strategic fiscal review for each state agency currently the subject of Sunset Advisory Commission review under the Texas Sunset Act. The bill requires the LBB to prepare and submit a report of the findings of the review by September 1 of the even-numbered year of the biennium during which the review is conducted to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and the members of the senate finance and house appropriations committees and sets out the required contents of the report. The bill authorizes the legislature to consider such reports in connection with the legislative appropriations process. The bill excepts all information, documentary or otherwise, prepared or maintained in conducting the review or preparing the report, including intra-agency and interagency communications and drafts of the report, or portions of those drafts, from required public disclosure under state public information law as audit working papers until the LBB has completed the review. That exception does not affect whether information is confidential or excepted from required public disclosure under other law.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.