BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1545
	By: Bell, Keith et al. (Parker)
	Business & Commerce
	5/19/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

H.B. 1545 is the sunset schedule bill, which is filed each session to make necessary adjustments to better align agencies set for sunset review by the Sunset Advisory Commission in the upcoming biennia and to balance the sunset commission's review workload. The bill also makes certain updates to the Texas Sunset Act.

H.B. 1545 amends current law relating to the sunset review process and certain governmental entities subject to that process.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

ARTICLE 1. ENTITIES GIVEN 2029 SUNSET DATE

SECTION 1.01. TEXAS OPTOMETRY BOARD. Amends Section 351.004, Occupations Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act), Government Code, the Texas Optometry Board is abolished and this chapter expires September 1, 2029, rather than September 1, 2033.

ARTICLE 2. ENTITIES GIVEN 2031 SUNSET DATE

�SECTION 2.01. CREDIT UNION DEPARTMENT. Amends Section 15.212, Finance Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325, Government Code, the Credit Union Department and the Credit Union Commission are abolished September 1, 2031, rather than September 1, 2035.

SECTION 2.02. STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS. Amends Section 2003.023, Government Code, to require the State Office of Administrative Hearings to be reviewed during the periods in which state agencies abolished in 2031, rather than 2027, and every 12th year after 2031, rather than 2027, are reviewed.

SECTION 2.03. TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. (a) Amends Section 202.010, Human Resources Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325, Government Code, the Texas Juvenile Justice Board and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) are abolished September 1, 2031, rather than September 1, 2027.

(b) Requires the Sunset Advisory Commission (Sunset), notwithstanding Section 202.010 (Sunset Provision), Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, to conduct a limited-scope review of TJJD for the 90th Legislature.

(c) Requires that, in conducting the limited-scope review under this section, the Sunset staff evaluation and report be limited to assessing TJJD's administration of its regionalization duties aimed at prioritizing the use of local levels of the juvenile justice system over placement or commitment to secure facilities operated by TJJD.

(d) Prohibits Sunset from reviewing the office of independent ombudsman of TJJD as part of the limited-scope review conducted under this section.

(e) Authorizes Sunset's recommendations to the 90th Legislature to include any recommendation Sunset considers appropriate based on the limited-scope review conducted under this section.

(f) Requires TJJD to submit a report not later than September 1, 2026, to Sunset, the speaker of the house of representatives, the lieutenant governor, and the standing committees of each house of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over juvenile justice that includes certain information.

ARTICLE 3. ENTITIES GIVEN 2033 SUNSET DATE

SECTION 3.01. STATE BOARD OF VETERINARY MEDICAL EXAMINERS. Amends Section 801.003, Occupations Code, to provide that, unless continued in existence as provided by Chapter 325, Government Code, the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners is abolished September 1, 2033, rather than September 1, 2027.

SECTION 3.02. TEXAS PHARMACEUTICAL INITIATIVE. Amends Section 2177.010, Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 2177.010. New heading: SUNSET PROVISION. Provides that the Texas Pharmaceutical Initiative is subject to Chapter 325. Provides that, unless continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the Texas Pharmaceutical Initiative is abolished and Chapter 2177 (Texas Pharmaceutical Initiative) expires September 1, 2033, rather than September 1, 2025.

ARTICLE 4. ENTITIES GIVEN 2035 SUNSET DATE

SECTION 4.01. STATE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION BOARD. Repealer: Section 12 (relating to requiring Sunset to conduct a certain limited-scope review of the State Soil and Water Conservation Board), Chapter 358 (S.B. 1424), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.

ARTICLE 5. AMENDMENTS TO THE TEXAS SUNSET ACT

SECTION 5.01. SUNSET ADVISORY COMMISSION. Amends Section 325.003(a-1), Government Code, to provide that a public member acts on behalf of the legislature when participating on Sunset in furtherance of the legislature's duty to provide oversight of state agencies', rather than executive branch agencies', implementation of legislative priorities.

SECTION 5.02. AGENCY REPORT TO COMMISSION. Amends Section 325.007(a), Government Code, to require a state agency, before September 1 of the odd-numbered year before the year in which the state agency subject to this chapter is abolished or reviewed, to report to Sunset certain information.

SECTION 5.03. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF AGENCY BEING REVIEWED. Amends Section 325.0075, Government Code, to make a conforming change.

SECTION 5.04. COMMISSION DUTIES. Amends Section 325.008(a), Government Code, to make a conforming change.

SECTION 5.05. PUBLIC HEARINGS. Amends Section 325.009(a), Government Code, to make a conforming change.

SECTION 5.06. REVIEW OF CERTAIN AGENCIES. Amends Sections 325.0125(a) and (b), Government Code, to make conforming changes.

SECTION 5.07. REVIEW OF CERTAIN MULTISTATE COMPACTS. Amends Chapter 325, Government Code, by adding Section 325.026, as follows:

Sec. 325.026. REVIEW OF CERTAIN MULTISTATE COMPACTS, RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS, AND OTHER SIMILAR AGREEMENTS. (a) Requires Sunset, during a review of a state agency that is responsible for administering, implementing, or enforcing a multistate compact, reciprocity agreement, or other similar agreement to which this state is a party, to review the compact or agreement as part of the review of the state agency.

(b) Requires Sunset, if a multistate compact, reciprocity agreement, or other similar agreement to which this state is a party is not administered, implemented, or enforced by a state agency, or is administered, implemented, or enforced by a state agency that is not subject to review under this chapter, to establish a review schedule to ensure that the compact or agreement is reviewed every 10 years.

(c) Requires Sunset to consult with the Office of the Governor in determining whether a state agency is responsible for administering, implementing, or enforcing a multistate compact, reciprocity agreement, or other similar agreement to which this state is a party.

(d) Requires Sunset, not later than the 90th day after the date the state enters into a multistate compact, reciprocity agreement, or other similar agreement, to identify the state agency responsible for administering, implementing, or enforcing the compact or other agreement. Requires Sunset, if the compact or other agreement is not administered, implemented, or enforced by a state agency or the state agency that implements, administers, or enforces the compact or agreement is not subject to review under this chapter, to add the compact or agreement to the review schedule under Subsection (b).

(e) Requires Sunset to publish on Sunset's Internet website a list of each multistate compact, reciprocity agreement, or other similar agreement to which this state is a party, including the state agency responsible for administering, implementing, or enforcing the compact or agreement and the year the state agency will be reviewed under this chapter or the year the compact or other agreement will be reviewed under the schedule required by Subsection (b).

(f) Requires Sunset, not later than January 1, 2026, to review each multistate compact, reciprocity agreement, or other similar agreement to which this state is a party and identify the state agency that is responsible for administering, implementing, or enforcing the compact or agreement. Requires Sunset, if Sunset determines there is no state agency responsible for administering, implementing, or enforcing a compact or agreement, or that a compact or agreement is administered, implemented, or enforced by a state agency that is not subject to review under this chapter, to include the compact or agreement in the review schedule required by Subsection (b). Provides that this subsection expires September 1, 2027.

ARTICLE 6. EFFECTIVE DATE

SECTION 6.01. EFFECTIVE DATE. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.