BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 157

By: Perry

Land & Resource Management

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Public and private entities that have been authorized to exercise eminent domain authority must annually submit a report containing certain information to the comptroller of public accounts. An entity that does not comply with this requirement is liable to the state for a civil penalty of $1,000. For smaller political subdivisions, much of this reporting process is done manually and the penalty is significant in relation to the subdivision's overall budget. S.B. 157 seeks to alleviate the burden on certain smaller political subdivisions by allowing these subdivisions to confirm the accuracy of a prior year's report to the comptroller if nothing has changed to warrant the submission of a new report.

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. 157 amends the Government Code to condition the requirement for a public school district located in a county with a population of less than 25,000 or a municipality or county with a population of less than 25,000 to submit an annual report containing records and other information for purposes of the eminent domain database maintained by the comptroller of public accounts only if the relevant information has changed from the information reported in the most recent report filed with the comptroller. If for the current annual reporting period the subdivision's information is the same as the information reflected for the subdivision in the eminent domain database for the previous annual reporting period, the political subdivision, not later than February 1 of the current annual reporting period, must confirm the accuracy of the information by electronically updating the subdivision's previously filed report with the comptroller in the manner prescribed by the comptroller.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.