HBA-EVB S.B. 735 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 735
By: Armbrister
Transportation
5/8/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) employs a vehicle
repair and maintenance pilot project, and maintains a 25 percent spending
requirement for outsourcing vehicle repair and maintenance.  The pilot
program for the vehicle repair and maintenance of all TxDOT vehicles
originated from a provision of Sunset legislation enacted by the 75th
Legislature.  The legislation requires TxDOT to use a two-year pilot
project to determine whether contracting with a private entity would be
cost-effective.  The results of the pilot study indicate that outsourcing
all TxDOT vehicle repair and maintenance would not be cost-effective, but
that the state may gain new efficiencies by raising the outsourcing goal
for vehicle repair and maintenance.   

S.B. 735 repeals Section 201.705 (Pilot Project on Vehicle Maintenance
Outsourcing), Transportation Code, relating to the vehicle repair and
maintenance outsourcing pilot program, and requires TxDOT to raise the
percentage of contracts for vehicle repair and maintenance to 35 percent. 

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 Subsection (b), Section 201.704, Transportation Code, as
follows: 

(b) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation to spend for all
contracts under this section not less than 35, rather than 25, percent of
the total amount it spends for vehicle repair and maintenance in that year. 

SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 201.705 (Pilot Project on Vehicle Maintenance
Outsourcing), Transportation Code, which requires the department to conduct
a two-year pilot project to determine whether contracting with a private
entity for maintenance and repair services of all department vehicles would
be cost-effective. 

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.
 Effective date: upon passage.