Texas 2021 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1180 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/19/2021

                    87R2394 SRA-D
 By: Krause H.B. No. 1180


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the creation of the Fiscal Risk Management Commission.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Subtitle C, Title 10, Government Code, is
 amended by adding Chapter 2117 to read as follows:
 CHAPTER 2117. FISCAL RISK MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
 Sec. 2117.0001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
 (1)  "Commission" means the Fiscal Risk Management
 Commission.
 (2)  "State agency" means a board, commission,
 department, office, or other agency in the executive branch of
 state government created by the constitution or a statute of this
 state, including an institution of higher education as defined by
 Section 61.003, Education Code.
 Sec. 2117.0002.  COMPOSITION. (a) The commission is
 composed of the following seven members:
 (1)  the comptroller;
 (2)  the speaker of the house of representatives or a
 member of the house of representatives designated by the speaker;
 (3)  the lieutenant governor or a member of the senate
 designated by the lieutenant governor; and
 (4)  four members of the public, appointed by the
 governor, who have experience with state and federal fiscal policy
 and budgetary analysis.
 (b)  The comptroller shall serve as the presiding officer of
 the commission.
 (c)  Public members serve at the pleasure of the governor.
 (d)  The state auditor may on request provide advice and
 technical assistance to the commission.
 Sec. 2117.0003.  COMPENSATION. A member of the commission
 serves without compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for
 actual expenses incurred in performing functions as a member of the
 commission, subject to any applicable limitation on reimbursement
 provided by general law or the General Appropriations Act.
 Sec. 2117.0004.  COMMISSION DUTIES. (a)  The commission
 shall:
 (1)  meet at least once each year at the call of the
 presiding officer; and
 (2)  study:
 (A)  the effect of federal fiscal policy on this
 state's economy, including:
 (i)  the percentage of this state's budget
 currently funded by federal money and the effect that a significant
 reduction or elimination of federal funding for state governments
 would have on this state's economy;
 (ii)  the effect of a political or
 market-led default on the United States' debt obligations on this
 state's economy; and
 (iii)  the amount of money earned in this
 state that is transferred to the federal government as compared to
 the amount of federal money received by this state from the federal
 government, and the effect of those transfers on businesses in this
 state;
 (B)  the amount of federal money received by each
 state agency, and the effect that a significant reduction or
 elimination of federal funding for state governments would have on
 the continuing operation of, and the delivery of critical services
 by, each of those agencies;
 (C)  the effect of the devaluation of the United
 States dollar on this state's economy, including an examination of:
 (i)  the effect of a gradual devaluation, a
 loss of reserve currency status, or an outright collapse of the
 United States dollar on this state's economy; and
 (ii)  the advisability of developing a
 contingency currency;
 (D)  the risks presented by acts of economic
 terrorism, including:
 (i)  the effect of power outages caused by
 acts of cyberterrorism, including an electromagnetic pulse, on
 financial markets and critical infrastructure in this state; and
 (ii)  the effect of an energy embargo or the
 disruption of the food, water, or power supply chain on the ability
 of this state and state agencies to continue to provide critical
 services; and
 (E)  any other macroeconomic threat to this
 state's economy the commission considers appropriate.
 (b)  In conducting the study required by this section, the
 commission shall consult with and consider papers authored by
 private entities specializing in fiscal risk management readiness
 and response. The commission may not rely solely on papers authored
 by institutions of higher education.
 Sec. 2117.0005.  FISCAL RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN. The
 commission biennially shall develop and publish a cohesive,
 in-depth plan to effectively and efficiently address the effects
 and risks identified by the commission in conducting the study
 required by Section 2117.0004.
 Sec. 2117.0006.  REPORT. (a) Not later than September 1 of
 each even-numbered year, the commission shall submit a report to
 the governor and the legislature based on the commission's findings
 under Section 2117.0004 during the previous two-year period.
 (b)  The report must include:
 (1)  a complete explanation of the methods used by the
 commission in conducting the financial analysis required by the
 study;
 (2)  a summary of the commission's findings under
 Section 2117.0004 and a copy of the plan created under Section
 2117.0005; and
 (3)  drafts of any proposed legislation needed to
 implement the commission's recommendations.
 (c)  The first report due under this section must include a
 thorough evaluation of this state's need to develop a contingency
 currency in the event of a collapse of the United States dollar.
 This subsection expires September 1, 2023.
 SECTION 2.  (a) Not later than the 60th day after the
 effective date of this Act, the governor and, if applicable, the
 speaker of the house of representatives and the lieutenant governor
 shall make the appointments and designations under Chapter 2117,
 Government Code, as added by this Act.
 (b)  The Fiscal Risk Management Commission shall submit the
 first report required by Section 2117.0006, Government Code, as
 added by this Act, not later than September 1, 2022.
 SECTION 3.  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, 2021.