Bill Text: TX SB217 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Relating to the continuation and functions of the state employee charitable campaign.

Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2013-06-14 - See remarks for effective date [SB217 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-SB217-Enrolled.html

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S.B. No. 217

AN ACT
relating to the continuation and functions of the state employee
charitable campaign.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subdivision (11), Section 659.131, Government
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(11) "Local campaign area" means an area established
by the state policy committee under Section 659.140(e)(1)(A) [the
county or counties] in which a local campaign is conducted as part
of the [manager conducts a] state employee charitable campaign.
SECTION 2. Subsection (g), Section 659.132, Government
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(g) An authorization must direct the comptroller to
distribute the deducted funds to a participating federation or fund
or a local charitable organization selected by the state policy
committee [and a local campaign manager] as prescribed by rule.
SECTION 3. Subsection (a), Section 659.133, Government
Code, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Participation by a state employee in a state employee
charitable campaign is voluntary. The state [Each] campaign
manager, any local employee committee or local campaign manager
appointed by the state policy committee, each charitable
organization, each state employee, and each state agency shall
inform state employees that deductions are voluntary.
SECTION 4. Section 659.140, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a), (b), (e), and (i) and adding Subsections
(c-1) and (e-1) to read as follows:
(a) The state employee charitable campaign policy committee
shall consist of nine [13] members.
(b) The governor with the advice and consent of the senate
shall appoint two [four] members who are state employees at the time
of their appointment and one member [three members] who is a [are]
retired state employee [employees] receiving benefits under
Chapter 814. The lieutenant governor and the comptroller shall
[may] appoint [not more than] three members each. An appointment to
the committee shall be made without regard to the race, color,
disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin of the
appointee. The state policy committee shall elect a chair
[chairman] biennially from its own membership.
(c-1) The governor, lieutenant governor, and comptroller
shall attempt to appoint members to the state policy committee from
institutions of higher education and a range of small, medium, and
large state agencies.
(e) The state policy committee shall:
(1) establish the organization and structure of the
state employee charitable campaign at the state and local levels,
including:
(A) establishing local campaign areas [based on
recommendations by the state advisory committee];
(B) appointing any local employee committees the
state policy committee considers necessary to assist the state
policy committee with evaluating applications from organizations
that seek to participate in the state employee charitable campaign
only in a local campaign area; and
(C) appointing any local campaign managers the
state policy committee considers necessary to administer the state
employee charitable campaign in a local campaign area;
(2) develop a strategic plan for the state employee
charitable campaign and make changes to improve the campaign as
necessary;
(3) in coordination with the state campaign manager,
post on the state employee charitable campaign Internet website
annual summary information regarding the state employee charitable
campaign's performance, including information about:
(A) state employee participation;
(B) the amount of donations pledged and
collected;
(C) the amount of donations pledged to and
received by each charitable organization;
(D) the total cost to administer the state
employee charitable campaign; and
(E) the balance of any surplus account maintained
by the state policy committee;
(4) [(2)] select as the state campaign manager:
(A) a federated community campaign organization;
or
(B) a charitable organization determined by the
state policy committee to have demonstrated the capacity to conduct
a state campaign;
(5) enter into a contract with the state campaign
manager selected under Subdivision (4) for the administration of
the state employee charitable campaign;
(6) [(3)] determine the eligibility of:
(A) a federation or fund and its affiliated
agencies for statewide participation in the state employee
charitable campaign; and
(B) if the state policy committee does not
appoint a local employee committee, a charitable organization for
participation in the state employee charitable campaign in a local
campaign area;
(7) develop in coordination with the state campaign
manager, review, and approve:
(A) an annual [(4) approve the recommended]
campaign plan;
(B) an annual[,] budget, including:
(i) costs related to contracting for the
administration of the state employee charitable campaign at the
state and local levels;
(ii) costs related to changes or
improvements to the state employee charitable campaign; and
(iii) other costs determined and
prioritized by the state policy committee; and
(C) generic materials to be used for the [by]
campaign [managers];
(8) [(5)] oversee the state employee charitable
campaign to ensure that all:
(A) campaign activities are conducted fairly and
equitably to promote unified solicitation on behalf of all
participants; and
(B) donations are appropriately distributed by a
federation or fund or a charitable organization that receives money
from the state employee charitable campaign; and
(9) [(6)] perform other duties prescribed by the
comptroller's rules.
(e-1) The comptroller shall provide administrative support
to the state policy committee, including assistance in:
(1) developing and overseeing contracts; and
(2) developing the budget of the state employee
charitable campaign.
(i) The state employee charitable campaign policy committee
is subject to the Texas Sunset Act. Unless continued in existence
as provided by that chapter, the committee is abolished and
Government Code, Chapter 659, Subchapter I, and Sections 814.0095
and 814.0096 expire on September 1, 2017 [2013].
SECTION 5. Subsection (c), Section 659.140, Government
Code, as amended by Chapters 280 (H.B. 1608), 1249 (S.B. 1664), and
1015 (H.B. 2549), Acts of the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session,
2011, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:
(c) [A member of the state policy committee may not receive
compensation for serving on the committee and is not entitled to
reimbursement from state funds for expenses incurred in performing
functions as a member of the committee.] The state policy
committee must:
(1) be composed of employees and retired state
employees receiving benefits under Chapter 814; and
(2) in its membership, represent employees at
different levels of employee classification.
SECTION 6. Subchapter I, Chapter 659, Government Code, is
amended by adding Sections 659.1401 and 659.1402 to read as
follows:
Sec. 659.1401. GROUNDS FOR REMOVAL FROM STATE POLICY
COMMITTEE. (a) It is a ground for removal from the state policy
committee that a member:
(1) does not have at the time of taking office the
qualifications required by Section 659.140;
(2) does not maintain during service on the state
policy committee the qualifications required by Section 659.140;
(3) is ineligible for membership under Section
659.140;
(4) cannot, because of illness or disability,
discharge the member's duties for a substantial part of the member's
term; or
(5) is absent from more than half of the regularly
scheduled state policy committee meetings that the member is
eligible to attend during a calendar year without an excuse
approved by a majority vote of the state policy committee.
(b) The validity of an action of the state policy committee
is not affected by the fact that it is taken when a ground for
removal of a state policy committee member exists.
(c) If the chair of the state policy committee has knowledge
that a potential ground for removal exists, the chair shall notify
the governor and the attorney general that a potential ground for
removal exists. If the potential ground for removal involves the
chair, another member of the state policy committee shall notify
the governor and the attorney general that a potential ground for
removal exists.
Sec. 659.1402. TRAINING FOR STATE POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
(a) A person who is appointed to and qualifies for office as a
member of the state policy committee may not vote, deliberate, or be
counted as a member in attendance at a meeting of the state policy
committee until the person completes a training program that
complies with this section.
(b) The training program must provide the person with
information regarding:
(1) the legislation that created the state employee
charitable campaign;
(2) the programs, functions, rules, and budget of the
state employee charitable campaign;
(3) the results of the most recent formal audit of the
state employee charitable campaign;
(4) the requirements of laws relating to open
meetings, public information, administrative procedure, and
conflicts of interest; and
(5) any applicable ethics policies adopted by the
Texas Ethics Commission or adopted for the state employee
charitable campaign by the state policy committee.
SECTION 7. Section 659.141, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 659.141. STATE CAMPAIGN MANAGER. The state campaign
manager shall:
(1) assist the state policy committee to:
(A) develop a campaign plan;
(B) develop [(2) prepare] a [statewide]
campaign budget [in cooperation with local campaign managers]; and
(C) [(3)] prepare generic materials to be used
for the campaign [by campaign managers];
(2) [(4)] coordinate and facilitate campaign
services to state employees throughout the state;
(3) [(5)] ensure that all state employee charitable
campaign activities are conducted fairly and equitably to promote
unified solicitation on behalf of all participants; [and]
(4) [(6)] perform other duties prescribed by the
comptroller's rules; and
(5) perform other duties required by the contract with
the state policy committee.
SECTION 8. Subsections (b) and (e), Section 659.142,
Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
(b) [Four members must represent campaign managers.] Four
members must represent statewide or local federations or funds
[that are not campaign managers]. Four members must represent
other charitable organizations participating in the state employee
charitable campaign.
(e) The state advisory committee shall:
(1) advise the comptroller and state policy committee
in adopting rules and establishing procedures for the operation and
management of the state employee charitable campaign; and
(2) provide input from charitable organizations
participating in the state employee charitable campaign to the
state policy committee [recommend the number, not to exceed 50, and
geographic scope of local campaign areas to the state policy
committee; and
[(3) review and submit the recommended campaign plan,
budget, and generic materials to be used by campaign managers].
SECTION 9. Section 659.145, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 659.145. TERMS OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS; COMPENSATION.
(a) A member of the state advisory committee[, the state policy
committee, or a local employee committee] serves a two-year term.
(a-1) Members of the state policy committee serve staggered
terms of two years, with the terms of four or five members expiring
September 1 of each year.
(b) A member of the state advisory committee, the state
policy committee, or a local employee committee appointed by the
state policy committee may not receive compensation for serving on
the committee and is not entitled to reimbursement from state funds
for expenses incurred in performing functions as a member of the
committee.
SECTION 10. Section 659.146, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read
as follows:
(e) An appeal from a decision of the state policy committee
shall be conducted in the manner prescribed by the committee. The
appeals process must permit a charitable organization that is not
approved for statewide participation to apply for participation in
the [a local] state employee charitable campaign only in a local
campaign area.
(f) The state policy committee shall develop guidelines for
evaluation of applications based on eligibility criteria under this
section and Section 659.150. The state policy committee shall make
the guidelines publicly available.
(g) A federation or organization that participated in the
state employee charitable campaign before June 20, 2003, is not
barred from participation in the program, both in terms of actual
participation and the purposes for which the contributions are
used, solely as a result of changes made by Sections 35, 36, 37, and
121(9) and (11), Chapter 1310 (H.B. 2425), Acts of the 78th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2003. This subsection does not
excuse a federation or organization from compliance with any other
law, rule, or state policy.
SECTION 11. Section 659.147, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 659.147. ELIGIBILITY OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS FOR
LOCAL PARTICIPATION. (a) A charitable organization that seeks to
participate [local participation] in the [a] state employee
charitable campaign only in a local campaign area must apply to the
state policy committee [appropriate local employee committee]
during the annual eligibility determination period specified by the
state policy committee.
(b) The state policy committee, with assistance of any
applicable local employee committee appointed by the state policy
committee, shall review each application and may approve a
charitable organization for [local] participation only in a local
campaign area only if the organization qualifies as a local
charitable organization and is:
(1) an unaffiliated local organization; or
(2) a federation or fund or an affiliate of a
federation or fund that is not approved for statewide
participation.
(c) An affiliated organization of an eligible federation or
fund that does not qualify as a statewide charitable organization
under Section 659.146 because it does not provide services in two or
more noncontiguous standard metropolitan statistical areas may
apply to the state policy committee [a local employee committee]
for participation in the [a local] state employee charitable
campaign only in a local campaign area.
(d) An appeal from a decision of the state policy committee
regarding the eligibility of an organization to participate in the
state employee charitable campaign only in a local campaign area [a
local employee committee] shall be conducted in the manner
prescribed by the state policy committee.
(e) The state policy committee shall develop guidelines for
evaluation of applications based on eligibility criteria under this
section and Section 659.150. The state policy committee shall make
the guidelines publicly available.
SECTION 12. Section 659.148, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding Subsection (b-1)
to read as follows:
(a) The state [A] campaign manager or any local campaign
manager appointed by the state policy committee may not charge a fee
to the comptroller, a state agency, or a state employee for the
services the state campaign manager or local campaign manager
provides in connection with a state employee charitable campaign.
(b) The state [A] campaign manager may charge a reasonable
and necessary fee for actual campaign expenses to the participating
charitable organizations in the same proportion that the
contributions to that charitable organization bear to the total of
contributions in the state employee charitable campaign.
(b-1) If the state policy committee appoints a local
campaign manager to administer the state employee charitable
campaign in a local campaign area, the state policy committee may
authorize the local campaign manager to charge a reasonable and
necessary fee in the same manner provided for the state campaign
manager under Subsection (b).
(c) Fees [A fee] under Subsections [Subsection] (b) and
(b-1) must be based on the combined expenses of the state campaign
manager and any [each] local campaign managers appointed by the
state policy committee [manager] and may not exceed 10 percent of
the total amount collected in the state employee charitable
campaign unless the state policy committee approves a higher amount
to accommodate reasonable documented costs.
SECTION 13. Subsections (a), (b), and (c), Section 659.151,
Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The state policy committee may request the comptroller
or state auditor to audit a participating charitable organization,
the state [a] campaign manager, or a local employee committee or
local campaign manager appointed by the state policy committee that
the state policy committee reasonably believes has misapplied
contributions under this subchapter.
(b) If an audit under this section reveals gross negligence
or intentional misconduct on the part of the state [a] campaign
manager or a local employee committee or local campaign manager
appointed by the state policy committee, the state policy committee
shall remove the campaign manager or local employee committee. A
person removed under this subsection is not eligible to serve in the
capacity from which the person was removed before the fifth
anniversary of the date the person was removed.
(c) If an audit under this section reveals intentional
misconduct on the part of the state [a] campaign manager, [or] a
local employee committee or local campaign manager appointed by the
state policy committee, or a participating charitable organization
that has distributed money received from the state employee
charitable campaign, the state policy committee shall forward its
findings to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
SECTION 14. Section 659.153, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 659.153. LEGAL REPRESENTATION. The attorney general
shall represent the state policy committee and any [each] local
employee committee appointed by the state policy committee in all
legal matters.
SECTION 15. Subdivisions (1), (12), and (14), Section
659.131, and Sections 659.143 and 659.144, Government Code, are
repealed.
SECTION 16. (a) Section 18.01, Chapter 3 (House Bill No.
7), Acts of the 78th Legislature, 3rd Called Session, 2003, is
repealed.
(b) Each federation or charitable organization is subject
to Subdivision (3), Subsection (a), Section 659.146, Government
Code.
(c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this section and Subsection
(g), Section 659.146, Government Code, as added by this Act, apply
only to the eligibility of a charitable organization to participate
in, and the use of contributions from, a state employee charitable
campaign conducted on or after January 1, 2014.
(d) This section and Subsection (g), Section 659.146,
Government Code, as added by this Act, take effect January 1, 2014.
SECTION 17. (a) The term of each member of the state
employee charitable campaign policy committee expires September 1,
2013.
(b) Not later than September 2, 2013:
(1) the governor shall appoint one member who is a
state employee and one member who is a retired state employee
receiving benefits under Chapter 814, Government Code, the
lieutenant governor shall appoint one member, and the comptroller
of public accounts shall appoint one member to the state employee
charitable campaign policy committee for terms expiring September
1, 2014; and
(2) the governor shall appoint one member who is a
state employee, the lieutenant governor shall appoint two members,
and the comptroller of public accounts shall appoint two members to
the state employee charitable campaign policy committee for terms
expiring September 1, 2015.
SECTION 18. Not later than December 31, 2013, the
comptroller of public accounts shall adopt rules necessary to
implement the changes in law made by this Act.
SECTION 19. Any changes made by the state employee
charitable campaign policy committee to the operation of the state
employee charitable campaign under Subsection (e), Section
659.140, Government Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to a
state employee charitable campaign conducted on or after January 1,
2014.
SECTION 20. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 217 passed the Senate on
April 11, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0;
May 20, 2013, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 22, 2013, House
granted request of the Senate; May 26, 2013, Senate adopted
Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 31,
Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 217 passed the House, with
amendments, on May 15, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 114,
Nays 24, two present not voting; May 22, 2013, House granted
request of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
May 26, 2013, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
following vote: Yeas 109, Nays 31, two present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor