By: Huffman S.B. No. 2213
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to state fiscal matters related to general government.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
ARTICLE 1. REDUCTION OF EXPENDITURES AND IMPOSITION OF CHARGES
GENERALLY
SECTION 1.01. This article applies to any state agency that
receives an appropriation under Article I of the General
Appropriations Act.
SECTION 1.02. Notwithstanding any other statute of this
state, each state agency to which this article applies is
authorized to reduce or recover expenditures by:
(1) consolidating any reports or publications the
agency is required to make and filing or delivering any of those
reports or publications exclusively by electronic means;
(2) extending the effective period of any license,
permit, or registration the agency grants or administers;
(3) entering into a contract with another governmental
entity or with a private vendor to carry out any of the agency's
duties;
(4) adopting additional eligibility requirements for
persons who receive benefits under any law the agency administers
to ensure that those benefits are received by the most deserving
persons consistent with the purposes for which the benefits are
provided;
(5) providing that any communication between the
agency and another person and any document required to be delivered
to or by the agency, including any application, notice, billing
statement, receipt, or certificate, may be made or delivered by
e-mail or through the Internet; and
(6) adopting and collecting fees or charges to cover
any costs the agency incurs in performing its lawful functions.
ARTICLE 2. STATE DEBT
SECTION 2.01. Chapter 1231, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter G to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER G. LIMIT ON STATE DEBT PAYABLE FROM GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Sec. 1231.151. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Maximum annual debt service" means the limitation
on annual debt service imposed by Section 49-j(a), Article III,
Texas Constitution.
(2) "State debt payable from the general revenue fund"
has the meaning assigned by Section 49-j(b), Article III, Texas
Constitution.
(3) "Unissued debt" means state debt payable from the
general revenue fund that has been authorized but not issued.
Sec. 1231.152. COMPUTATION OF DEBT LIMIT. In computing the
annual debt service in a state fiscal year on state debt payable
from the general revenue fund for purposes of determining whether
additional state debt may be authorized without exceeding the
maximum annual debt service, the board may employ any assumptions
related to unissued debt that the board determines are necessary to
reflect common or standard debt issuance practices authorized by
law, including assumptions regarding:
(1) interest rates;
(2) debt maturity; and
(3) debt service payment structures.
Sec. 1231.153. REPORT ON COMPUTATION. (a) The board shall
publish during each state fiscal year a report providing a detailed
description of the method used to compute the annual debt service in
that fiscal year on state debt payable from the general revenue fund
for purposes of determining whether additional state debt may be
authorized. The report must describe:
(1) the debt service included in the computation,
including debt service on issued and unissued debt;
(2) the assumptions on which the debt service on
unissued debt was based; and
(3) any other factors required by law that affect the
computation.
(b) The board may publish the report required by this
section as a component of any other report required by law,
including the annual report required by Section 1231.102, or as an
independent report. The board shall make the report available to
the public.
SECTION 2.02. The Bond Review Board shall publish the
initial report required by Section 1231.153, Government Code, as
added by this article, during the state fiscal year beginning
September 1, 2017.
SECTION 2.03. This article takes effect immediately if this
Act 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 article takes effect September 1, 2017.
ARTICLE 3. FISCAL MATTERS RELATING TO MAIL
SECTION 3.01. Subchapter A, Chapter 2176, Government Code,
is amended by adding Section 2176.007 to read as follows:
Sec. 2176.007. COMPTROLLER STUDY ON MAIL OPERATIONS. (a)
The comptroller shall conduct a study on the mail operations of each
state agency in the executive branch of state government that
receives an appropriation made under ARTICLE I of the General
Appropriations Act. The study must identify provisions of law
relating to the mailing requirements for the agency that impede the
efficient transmission and receipt of documents by the agency.
(b) In conducting the study, the comptroller shall
collaborate with other state agencies to consider the needs or
concerns specific to those agencies.
(c) Not later than November 1, 2018, the comptroller shall
post the findings of the study conducted under this section on the
comptroller's Internet website.
(d) This section expires September 1, 2019.
SECTION 3.02. This article takes effect immediately if
this Act 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 article takes effect September 1, 2017.
ARTICLE 4. FISCAL MATTERS CONCERNING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
SECTION 4.01. Section 2054.380(b), Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) Revenue derived from the collection of fees imposed
under Subsection (a) may be appropriated to the department for:
(1) developing statewide information resources
technology policies and planning under this chapter and Chapter
2059; and
(2) providing shared information resources technology
services [under this chapter].
SECTION 4.02. Section 2157.068(d), Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(d) The department may charge a reasonable administrative
fee to a state agency, political subdivision of this state, or
governmental entity of another state that purchases commodity items
through the department in an amount that is sufficient to recover
costs associated with the administration of this section. Revenue
derived from the collection of fees imposed under this subsection
may be appropriated to the department for:
(1) developing statewide information resources
technology policies and planning [under Chapters 2054 and 2059];
and
(2) providing shared information resources technology
services [under Chapter 2054].
SECTION 4.03. Section 2170.057(d), Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(d) The department shall maintain in the revolving fund
account sufficient amounts to pay the bills of the consolidated
telecommunications system and the centralized capitol complex
telephone system. The department shall certify amounts that exceed
this amount to the comptroller, and the comptroller shall transfer
the excess amounts to the credit of the general revenue fund.
SECTION 4.04. This article takes effect immediately if this
Act 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 article takes effect September 1, 2017.
ARTICLE 5. EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION 5.01. Except as otherwise provided by this Act,
this Act takes effect September 1, 2017.