By: Nelson, et al. S.B. No. 53
(In the Senate - Filed November 10, 2014; January 26, 2015,
read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
April 8, 2015, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 12,
Nays 0; April 8, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to strategic fiscal reviews of state agencies and
programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 322, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 322.0175 to read as follows:
Sec. 322.0175. STRATEGIC FISCAL REVIEW OF STATE AGENCIES
AND PROGRAMS. (a) The board shall perform a strategic fiscal
review for all state agencies currently the subject of Sunset
Advisory Commission review under Chapter 325, Government Code.
(b) The board shall prepare and submit a report of the
findings of the strategic fiscal review by September 1 of
even-numbered years to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker
of the house, Senate Finance Committee, and House Appropriations
Committee.
(c) The strategic fiscal review report will contain:
(1) a description of the discrete activities the state
agency is charged with conducting or performing together with:
(A) a justification for each activity by
reference to a statute or other legal authority; and
(B) an evaluation of the effectiveness and
efficiency of the state agency's policies, management, fiscal
affairs, and operations in relation to each activity;
(2) for each activity identified under Subdivision
(1), a quantitative estimate of any adverse effects that reasonably
may be expected to result if the activity were discontinued,
together with a description of the methods by which the adverse
effects were estimated;
(3) for each activity identified under Subdivision
(1), an itemized account of expenditures required to maintain the
activity at the minimum level of service or performance required by
the statute or other legal authority, together with a concise
statement of the quantity and quality of service or performance
required at that minimum level;
(4) for each activity identified under Subdivision
(1), an itemized account of expenditures required to maintain the
activity at the current level of service or performance, together
with a concise statement of the quantity and quality of service or
performance provided at that current level;
(5) a ranking of activities identified under
Subdivision (1) that illustrates the relative importance of each
activity to the overall goals and purposes of the state agency at
current service or performance levels; and
(6) recommendations to the legislature regarding
whether the legislature should continue funding each activity
identified under Subdivision (1) and, if so, at what level.
(d) The legislature may consider the strategic fiscal
review reports in connection with the legislative appropriations
process.
(e) Until the board has completed a strategic fiscal review
under this section, all information, documentary or otherwise,
prepared or maintained in conducting the strategic fiscal review or
preparing the strategic fiscal review report, including
intra-agency and interagency communications and drafts of the
strategic fiscal review report, or portions of those drafts, is
excepted from required public disclosure as audit working papers
under Section 552.116. This subsection does not affect whether
information described by this subsection is confidential or
excepted from required public disclosure under a law other than
Section 552.116.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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