HBA-MPA H.B. 1374 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1374
By: Gallego
County Affairs
2/19/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Val Verde County Hospital District operates under rules
originally established by the 65th Legislature.  Although these rules have
been amended in 1983, 1991, and 1997, the hospital board of directors has
expressed the desire to make them consistent with current practices.  H.B.
1374 establishes a new filing deadline for write-in candidates for hospital
district elections, increases the maximum amount that the hospital board
may purchase or expend without advertising, and subjects construction and
purchasing expenditures greater than $15,000 to the advertising
requirements practiced by counties throughout the state. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 4A(c), Chapter 658, Acts of the 64th Legislature,
Regular Session, 1975, to provide that a declaration of write-in candidacy
for hospital district elections must be filed with the secretary of the
board of directors no later than the 35th, rather than the 45th, day before
the election, or if a candidate on the ballot dies or is disqualified after
the 38th, rather than the 48th, day before the election, such declaration
may be filed no later than the 32nd, rather than the 42nd, day before the
election. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 11,  Chapter 658, Acts of the 64th Legislature,
Regular Session, 1975, to authorize contracts for construction involving
expenditures of more than $15,000 only after advertising in the manner
provided by Subchapter B (Competitive Bidding on Certain Public Works
Contracts), Chapter 271, Local Government Code, or for all contracts for
purchases involving expenditures over $15,000, rather than $5,000, only
after advertising in the manner provided by Subchapter C (County Purchasing
Act), Chapter 262, rather than Chapter 252 (Purchasing and Contracting
Authority of Municipalities), Local Government Code. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.