BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 4493 By: Eiland (Huffman) Transportation & Homeland Security 5/17/2009 Engrossed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Cities, counties, school districts, and a variety of other governmental entities throughout Texas are each responsible for purchasing items and services. Under current law, a municipality has a limit of $50,000 for procurement through the sealed bid method. This bill would bring the competitive bidding level for port and harbor facilities operated by cities under Chapter 54 (Harbor and Port Facilities in Certain Municipalities), Transportation Code, up to the same level as that required for other types of city facilities. H.B. 4493 relates to contracts awarded through competitive bidding by certain port and harbor facilities 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 54.054(a), Transportation Code, to authorize the board of trustees that manages and controls the port improvement or facility (board of trustees), except as otherwise provided by this chapter, to award a contract involving the expenditure of funds in excess of the amount applicable to an expenditure of funds by a municipality under Section 252.021 (a) (relating to certain procedures a municipality is required to comply with before a municipality may enter into a contract that requires an expenditure of more than $50,000), Local Government Code, only by competitive bidding. Deletes existing text authorizing the board of trustees, except as otherwise provided by this chapter, to award a contract involving the expenditure of more than $25,000 only by competitive bidding. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 4493
By: Eiland (Huffman)
Transportation & Homeland Security
5/17/2009
Engrossed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Cities, counties, school districts, and a variety of other governmental entities throughout Texas are each responsible for purchasing items and services. Under current law, a municipality has a limit of $50,000 for procurement through the sealed bid method.
This bill would bring the competitive bidding level for port and harbor facilities operated by cities under Chapter 54 (Harbor and Port Facilities in Certain Municipalities), Transportation Code, up to the same level as that required for other types of city facilities.
H.B. 4493 relates to contracts awarded through competitive bidding by certain port and harbor facilities
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 54.054(a), Transportation Code, to authorize the board of trustees that manages and controls the port improvement or facility (board of trustees), except as otherwise provided by this chapter, to award a contract involving the expenditure of funds in excess of the amount applicable to an expenditure of funds by a municipality under Section 252.021 (a) (relating to certain procedures a municipality is required to comply with before a municipality may enter into a contract that requires an expenditure of more than $50,000), Local Government Code, only by competitive bidding. Deletes existing text authorizing the board of trustees, except as otherwise provided by this chapter, to award a contract involving the expenditure of more than $25,000 only by competitive bidding.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.