85R9279 TJB-D
By: White H.B. No. 2789
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a study group to study state unfunded
mandates that affect counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. STATE UNFUNDED MANDATE STUDY GROUP. (a) In this
Act, "study group" means the state unfunded mandate study group
created under this Act.
(b) The state unfunded mandate study group is created and
consists of nine members appointed as follows:
(1) three members appointed by the governor;
(2) three members appointed by the lieutenant
governor; and
(3) three members appointed by the speaker of the
house of representatives.
(c) In making the appointments under Subsection (b), the
governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of
representatives must each select three appointees as follows:
(1) one member who resides in a rural county;
(2) one member who resides in an urban county; and
(3) one member who resides in a suburban county.
(d) The governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
house of representatives shall appoint the members of the study
group not later than October 1, 2017.
(e) The speaker of the house of representatives shall select
one of the members appointed by the speaker to be the initial
presiding officer of the study group.
(f) At the first meeting of the study group, the members of
the study group shall select one member of the study group as the
presiding officer of the study group.
(g) The study group shall meet at the call of the presiding
officer.
(h) A member of the study group serves without compensation
but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses
incurred in performing study group duties.
(i) The study group shall conduct a study of the mandates
imposed by state statutes or by rules adopted by state agencies that
require counties to establish, expand, or modify activities in a
way that requires the expenditure of revenue by the counties that
would not have been required in the absence of the mandates and for
which the state provides insufficient or no money. In conducting
the study, the study group must:
(1) define "state unfunded mandate";
(2) identify each state unfunded mandate;
(3) determine the financial cost to counties of state
unfunded mandates;
(4) determine which state unfunded mandates should be
repealed or limited; and
(5) determine how to prevent the creation of new state
unfunded mandates that apply to counties.
(j) On request by the study group, a state agency shall
provide assistance to the study group, including necessary support
staff and facilities to hold meetings.
(k) Not later than August 31, 2018, the study group shall
submit a written report to the governor, the lieutenant governor,
the speaker of the house of representatives, and each member of the
legislature with its findings and recommendations.
(l) The study group is abolished and this Act expires
September 1, 2019.
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, 2017.