Bill Text: TX SB698 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the analysis of certain legislative measures making an appropriation or affecting a state tax or fee.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-05 - Left pending in committee [SB698 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-SB698-Introduced.html
  82R5425 JSA-D
 
  By: Watson S.B. No. 698
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the analysis of certain legislative measures making an
  appropriation or affecting a state tax or fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 322, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Sections 322.0085 and 322.0086 to read as follows:
         Sec. 322.0085.  IMPACT ANALYSIS OF REDUCTIONS IN GENERAL
  REVENUE APPROPRIATIONS. (a) In this section, "appropriations
  bill" means any bill that includes one or more appropriations of
  state revenue. The term includes a bill that proposes a change in
  the amount of an appropriation made by another legislative measure.
         (b)  As soon as practicable after an appropriations bill is
  filed in either house of the legislature, the director shall
  prepare an appropriations impact statement for the bill that
  identifies each proposed appropriation that would:
               (1)  result in a total amount of general revenue
  appropriations available for any purpose for the succeeding fiscal
  biennium that is less than the total amount of general revenue
  appropriations available for the same purpose for the current
  fiscal biennium, after considering other appropriations from
  general revenue for the same purpose and after adjusting, in a
  manner determined by the director, the total amount of
  appropriations for that purpose for the current biennium to reflect
  the state's population growth and monetary inflation during the
  current biennium; or
               (2)  result in a reduction in the total amount of
  general revenue appropriations available for any purpose for the
  current fiscal biennium.
         (c)  For each appropriation that the director determines
  will result in a comparative reduction in the total amount of
  general revenue appropriations available for a purpose, the
  director shall:
               (1)  determine and report in the statement the
  estimated amount of the reduction;
               (2)  include in the statement a description of the
  services and functions for which the appropriation may be used and
  of how those services and functions may be affected by the
  reduction; and
               (3)  identify in the statement any other sources of
  funding, including increases in fees or other charges, that
  lawfully could be used for that purpose and made available to
  supplement the reduced appropriation.
         (d)  As soon as practicable after a bill to which this
  section applies is reported from committee, engrossed by the house
  of origin, reported to the house of origin with amendments by the
  other house, or reported to either house by a conference committee,
  the director shall revise the statement required by this section to
  reflect any changes to the bill made by the applicable committee,
  house, or conference committee.
         (e)  The director, by e-mail or other method the director
  determines appropriate, shall make each impact statement required
  by this section available to each member of the legislature as soon
  as practicable after the statement is prepared.
         Sec. 322.0086.  IMPACT ANALYSIS OF STATE TAX AND FEE BILLS.
  (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Tax bill" means a bill that proposes to:
                     (A)  impose a new state tax; or
                     (B)  change the rate of a state tax.
               (2)  "Fee bill" means a bill that proposes to:
                     (A)  impose a new state fee; or
                     (B)  change the amount of a state fee.
               (3)  "State fee" means a fee all or part of the revenue
  from which is deposited to the credit of the state treasury.
               (4)  "State tax" means a tax all or part of the revenue
  from which is deposited to the credit of the state treasury.
         (b)  As soon as practicable after a tax bill or fee bill is
  filed in either house of the legislature, the director shall
  prepare an impact statement for the bill that:
               (1)  states the amount of each increase or reduction in
  state revenue estimated to result from the changes in law made by
  the bill;
               (2)  describes the services and functions for which any
  increase in state revenue identified under Subdivision (1) may be
  used and describes the projected effect of the increased revenue on
  those services and functions; and
               (3)  for any reduction in state revenue identified
  under Subdivision (1), describes the services and functions for
  which the affected state revenue is used and describes the
  projected effect of the reduction on those services and functions.
         (c)  As soon as practicable after a bill to which this
  section applies is reported from committee, engrossed by the house
  of origin, reported to the house of origin with amendments by the
  other house, or reported to either house by a conference committee,
  the director shall revise the statement required by this section to
  reflect any changes to the bill made by the applicable committee,
  house, or conference committee.
         (d)  The director, by e-mail or other method the director
  determines appropriate, shall make each impact statement required
  by this section available to each member of the legislature as soon
  as practicable after the statement is prepared.
         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, 2011.
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