By: Taylor of Collin S.B. No. 135
(In the Senate - Filed November 14, 2016; January 25, 2017,
read first time and referred to Committee on Finance;
March 6, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 14,
Nays 0; March 6, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the submission of a report by certain entities
identifying spending reduction measures.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 322, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 322.025 to read as follows:
Sec. 322.025. REPORT ON SPENDING REDUCTION MEASURES.
(a) Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, each
entity that is required to submit a legislative appropriations
request shall submit to the board a detailed report identifying
measures by which the entity may reduce its expenditures from
general revenue and general revenue-dedicated accounts by 1
percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent in the next state fiscal
biennium.
(b) An entity described by Subsection (a) shall rank each of
the 1 percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent spending reduction
measures from highest to lowest priority. The entity shall assign
higher priority to measures that:
(1) have fewer consequences for the entity's programs
and goals;
(2) have less impact on populations served by the
entity; or
(3) eliminate redundancies and inefficiencies.
(c) An entity described by Subsection (a) may not include in
the report a spending reduction measure that would violate the
state or federal constitution.
(d) The board may exempt certain expenditures from
consideration under this section.
(e) The board may issue guidance regarding:
(1) standards for reports required by this section,
including format, content, and methods of submission; and
(2) prioritizing spending reduction measures under
Subsection (b).
(f) The board may require an entity to submit the report
under this section with the entity's legislative appropriations
request.
(g) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
the board shall make reports received under this section available
to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
representatives, and members of the legislature.
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.
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