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.