Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2164 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R7407 MM-D
2	2	By: Parker H.B. No. 2164
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to efficiency audits of the Health and Human Services
8	8	Commission.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 531.005521 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 531.005521. EFFICIENCY AUDIT. (a) For purposes of
13	13	this section, "efficiency audit" means an investigation of the
14	14	operations of the commission to examine fiscal management,
15	15	efficiency, implementation of programs the commission administers
16	16	and the incidence of fraud, waste, and abuse in those programs, and
17	17	utilization of resources.
18	18	(b) In 2022 and every sixth year after that year, an
19	19	external auditor selected under Subsection (f) shall conduct an
20	20	efficiency audit.
21	21	(c) In a year in which an efficiency audit is completed as
22	22	required by this section, the efficiency audit satisfies the
23	23	commission's annual internal audit requirements under Section
24	24	531.00552.
25	25	(d) The commission shall pay the costs associated with an
26	26	efficiency audit required under this section using existing
27	27	resources.
28	28	(e) The state auditor shall ensure that the external auditor
29	29	conducts the efficiency audit in accordance with the requirements
30	30	of this section.
31	31	(f) Not later than March 1 of the year in which an efficiency
32	32	audit is required under this section, the state auditor shall
33	33	select an external auditor to conduct the efficiency audit.
34	34	(g) The external auditor shall be independent of the
35	35	commission's direction.
36	36	(h) The external auditor shall complete the audit not later
37	37	than the 90th day after the date the auditor is selected.
38	38	(i) The Legislative Budget Board shall establish the scope
39	39	of the efficiency audit and determine the areas of investigation
40	40	for the audit, including:
41	41	(1) reviewing the commission's resources to determine
42	42	whether those resources:
43	43	(A) are being used effectively and efficiently to
44	44	achieve desired outcomes for individuals receiving benefits under a
45	45	program the commission administers; and
46	46	(B) are not being used for purposes other than
47	47	the intended goals of the applicable program;
48	48	(2) identifying cost savings or reallocations of
49	49	resources;
50	50	(3) identifying opportunities for improving services
51	51	through consolidation of essential functions, outsourcing, and
52	52	elimination of duplicative efforts; and
53	53	(4) identifying whether the commission administers
54	54	each program in a manner consistent with any stated legislative
55	55	intent, if applicable.
56	56	(j) Not later than November 1 of the year an efficiency
57	57	audit is conducted, the external auditor shall prepare and submit a
58	58	report of the audit and recommendations for efficiency improvements
59	59	to the governor, the Legislative Budget Board, the state auditor,
60	60	the executive commissioner, and the chairs of the House Human
61	61	Services Committee and the Senate Health and Human Services
62	62	Committee. The executive commissioner and the state auditor shall
63	63	publish the report, recommendations, and full audit on the
64	64	commission's and the state auditor's Internet websites.
65	65	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.