By: Alvarado, et al. S.B. No. 799
 
  (Murphy)
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of a business advisory council to provide
  advice on economic recovery following a disaster.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 418, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 418.054 to read as follows:
         Sec. 418.054.  BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL. (a)  In this
  section, "advisory council" means the business advisory council
  established under this section.
         (b)  The business advisory council is established to provide
  advice and expertise on actions state and local governments can
  take to assist businesses in recovering from a disaster.
         (c)  The advisory council is composed of 12 members who
  represent business in this state appointed as follows:
               (1)  four members appointed by the governor;
               (2)  four members appointed by the lieutenant governor;
  and 
               (3)  four members appointed by the speaker of the house
  of representatives.
         (d)  Members of the advisory council serve staggered
  four-year terms.
         (e)  An advisory council member is not entitled to
  compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses
  incurred by the member while conducting the business of the
  advisory council.
         (f)  The advisory council members shall elect a presiding
  officer from among the members.
         (g)  The advisory council shall:
               (1)  advise the division on policies, rules, and
  program operations to assist businesses in recovering from a
  disaster;
               (2)  advise the division on the state resources and
  services needed to assist businesses in recovering from a
  catastrophic loss of electric power; and
               (3)  propose solutions to address inefficiencies or
  problems in the state or local governmental disaster response with
  respect to impact on businesses and the economy.
         (h)  The advisory council shall meet at the times and
  locations determined by the presiding officer, not to exceed four
  meetings each year.
         (i)  Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year,
  the advisory council shall submit a report on the advisory
  council's activities, advice, and proposed solutions to the
  division, the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of
  the house of representatives.
         (j)  The division shall provide administrative support to
  the advisory council.
         (k)  Chapter 2110 does not apply to the advisory council.
         SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
  house of representatives shall appoint members to the business
  advisory council, as required by Section 418.054, Government Code,
  as added by this Act, as follows:
               (1)  the governor shall appoint two members to terms
  expiring February 1, 2021, one member to a term expiring February 1,
  2022, and one member to a term expiring February 1, 2023;
               (2)  the lieutenant governor shall appoint one member
  to a term expiring February 1, 2021, two members to terms expiring
  February 1, 2022, and one member to a term expiring February 1,
  2023; and
               (3)  the speaker of the house of representatives shall
  appoint one member to a term expiring February 1, 2021, one member
  to a term expiring February 1, 2022, and two members to terms
  expiring February 1, 2023.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.