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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to strategic fiscal reviews of 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. Chapter 322, Government Code, is amended by |
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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. (a) The board shall perform a strategic fiscal |
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review for each state agency currently the subject of Sunset |
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Advisory Commission review under Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). |
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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 the |
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even-numbered year of the biennium during which the review is |
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conducted to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the |
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house of representatives and to the members of the senate finance |
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and house appropriations committees. |
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(c) The strategic fiscal review report must 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): |
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(A) a quantitative estimate of any adverse |
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effects that reasonably may be expected to result if the activity |
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were discontinued, together with a description of the methods by |
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which the adverse effects were estimated; |
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(B) an itemized account of expenditures required |
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to maintain the activity at the minimum level of service or |
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performance required by the statute or other legal authority, |
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together with a concise statement of the quantity and quality of |
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service or performance required at that minimum level; and |
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(C) an itemized account of expenditures required |
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to maintain the activity at the current level of service or |
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performance, together with a concise statement of the quantity and |
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quality of service or performance provided at that current level; |
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(3) 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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(4) 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 appropriations |
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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, 2019. |
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