Bill Text: TX HB236 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the creation of the Fiscal Risk Management Commission.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-12 - Referred to Appropriations [HB236 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB236-Introduced.html

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84R774 CJC-D
By: Krause H.B. No. 236

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. 2117.001. 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. 2117.002. COMPOSITION. (a) The commission is
composed of the following seven members:
(1) the comptroller;
(2) the state auditor;
(3) the speaker of the house of representatives or a
member of the house of representatives designated by the speaker;
(4) the lieutenant governor or a member of the senate
designated by the lieutenant governor; and
(5) three 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.
Sec. 2117.003. 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. 2117.004. 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
agency of this state, 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 agencies of this state 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. 2117.005. FISCAL RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN. The commission
biennially shall develop and publish a cohesive and in-depth plan
to effectively and efficiently address the effects and risks
identified by the commission in conducting the study required by
Section 2117.004.
Sec. 2117.006. REPORT. (a) Not later than September 1 of
the even-numbered year preceding each regular session of the
legislature, the commission shall submit a report based on the
commission's findings under Section 2117.004 during the previous
two-year period to the governor and the legislature.
(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 2117.004 and a copy of the plan created under Section
2117.005; 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.
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 2117.006, Government Code, as
added by this Act, not later than September 1, 2016.
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, 2015.