BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2272
87R21907 SGM-D	By: Ordaz Perez (Blanco)
	Local Government
	5/18/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Currently, the county judge of El Paso County is authorized to delegate the authority to sign certain orders or other official documents to a county commissioner. It has been noted that in a county with a population of more than 1.5 million, the county judge may delegate that authority to any county officer or employee, thus allowing for increased efficiency and less of a backlog of unsigned documents. H.B. 2272 seeks to make El Paso County government more efficient by authorizing the delegation of signature authority to county officers or employees.

H.B. 2272 amends current law relating to the delegation of certain authority of a county judge or commissioners court in certain counties.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 81.029, Local Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 81.029. New heading: DELEGATION OF CERTAIN AUTHORITY OF COUNTY JUDGE OR COMMISSIONERS COURT IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) Provides that this section applies only to a county, rather than only to a county judge in a county, that has a population of more than 800,000 and is located on the international border.

(b) Authorizes a county judge to file an order with the commissioners court of the county delegating to a county commissioner of the commissioners court, a chief administrator, or another county officer or employee the ability to sign orders or other official documents associated with the county judge's office. Requires that the delegating order clearly indicate the types of orders or official documents that the county commissioner, chief administrator, officer, or employee is authorized to sign on behalf of the county judge.

(c) Authorizes a county judge to file a standing order of emergency delegation of authority that clearly indicates the types of orders or official documents that the county commissioner, chief administrator, officer, or employee is authorized to sign on behalf of the county judge in the event of an emergency or disaster.

(d) Provides that an order or official document signed by the county commissioner, chief administrator, officer, or employee under the delegated authority of the county judge under this section has the same effect as an order of the county judge.

(e) Authorizes the county judge to at any time revoke the delegated authority or transfer the authority to a different county commissioner, chief administrator, officer, or employee by filing an order with the commissioners court.

(f) Authorizes the commissioners court by order to delegate managerial authority of the commissioners court to a county chief administrator. Requires that the delegating order clearly indicate the specific managerial authority delegated to the administrator. Authorizes the commissioners court, by subsequent order, to revoke or modify the managerial authority delegated to the administrator.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2021.�