| 1 | 1 | | 84R7349 YDB-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Raymond H.B. No. 1427 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to a review of state laws requiring an action or proceeding |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | to be brought in Travis County or a Travis County court. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 325, Government Code, is amended by |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | adding Section 325.0235 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 325.0235. REVIEW OF CERTAIN STATE LAWS. (a) The |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | commission shall review the laws of this state to identify each |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | statute and state agency rule that requires an action or proceeding |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | to be brought or considered in Travis County, a Travis County |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | district or statutory county court, or the Court of Appeals for the |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Third Court of Appeals District. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (b) The commission shall make recommendations on whether |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | the location of the action or proceeding in each statute or state |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | agency rule identified under Subsection (a) serves a legitimate |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | state purpose, other than the convenience of the state agency, that |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | supersedes the interests of persons required to travel to Travis |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | County to attend or participate in the action or proceeding or |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | whether the identified statute or state agency rule should be |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | revised to authorize an action or proceeding to be brought or |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | considered in another county in this state. If the commission |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | recommends authorization of the action or proceeding in another |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | county, the commission shall estimate any additional costs to this |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | state that would be incurred in implementing the revision. |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (c) The commission shall prepare a report on the statutes |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | and state agency rules identified under Subsection (a) and the |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | recommendations made and costs determined under Subsection (b) and |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | post the report on the commission's Internet website not later than |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | December 1, 2016. The commission shall submit an electronic copy of |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | the report prepared under this subsection to the governor, |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives. |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (d) The Texas Legislative Council shall assist the |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | commission in identifying the statutes and state agency rules under |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | Subsection (a) and the Legislative Budget Board shall assist the |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | commission in estimating any additional costs to this state that |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | would be incurred in implementing the recommendations made under |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | Subsection (b). |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (e) This section expires September 1, 2017. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
|---|