86R13495 SLB-D
By: Schaefer H.B. No. 3119
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. (a) In this section, "board" means the
Legislative Budget Board.
(b) The board shall perform a strategic fiscal review for
each state agency continued in existence by an Act of the 85th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2017.
(c) Not later than September 1, 2020, the board shall
prepare and submit a report of the findings of the strategic fiscal
review conducted under Subsection (b) of this section to the
governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of
representatives and to the members of the senate finance and house
appropriations committees.
(d) The strategic fiscal review report under Subsection (c)
of this section must 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)
of this subsection:
(A) 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;
(B) 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; and
(C) 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;
(3) a ranking of activities identified under
Subdivision (1) of this subsection 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
(4) recommendations to the legislature regarding
whether the legislature should continue funding each activity
identified under Subdivision (1) of this subsection and, if so, at
what level.
(e) The legislature may consider the strategic fiscal
review report conducted under this section in connection with the
legislative appropriations process.
(f) 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, Government Code. 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, Government Code.
(g) This section expires August 31, 2021.
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, 2019.