Honorable Charles Perry, Chair, Senate Committee on Water & Rural Affairs
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2794 by Morrison (Relating to the administration of emergency management in this state.), As Engrossed
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Under the provisions of the bill, the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) would be transferred from the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS) to the Texas A&M University System as an agency of the Texas A&M University System. The chief of TDEM would be appointed by the Governor. Employees of TDEM would become an employee of TDEM under the Texas A&M University System, and eligible to transfer from the Employees Retirement System of Texas to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas without interruption of services. Under the provisions of the bill, DPS and the Texas A&M University System must enter into a memorandum of understanding no later than June 1, 2019 to transfer of all powers, duties, obligations, rights, contracts, leases, records, real or personal property, and unspent and unobligated appropriations and other funds relating to TDEM to Texas A&M System on September 1, 2019.
According to the Texas A&M University System, the state appropriations would transfer with TDEM, however the federal disaster funding would remain a separate appropriation within DPS's bill pattern. According to information provided by DPS, any administrative costs associated with the transfer can be absorbed using existing funds.
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives the requisite two-thirds vote of the membership of each house of the Legislature, otherwise it would take effect September 1, 2019.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 405 Department of Public Safety, 555 Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 556 Texas A&M AgriLife Research, 557 Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, 576 Texas A&M Forest Service, 712 Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, 716 Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 727 Texas A&M Transportation Institute, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board