HBA-NIK S.B. 874 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 874 By: Brown State Recreational Resources 4/19/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law provides the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (department) with limited specific authority to contract with federal agencies, and no general authority to contract with other state governments, local governments, local Texas governments, or nonprofit organization to accomplish the department's duties and responsibilities. S.B. 874 provides the department general power to enter contracts with those entities for certain professional services, and requires the Parks and Wildlife Commission, by rule, to adopt policies and procedures to govern the department contracting. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Parks and Wildlife Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 11.0171, Parks and Wildlife Code), of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 11, Parks and Wildlife Code, by adding Section 11.0171, as follows: Sec. 11.0171. AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT. Authorizes the executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (department), or the executive director's designee, subject to Section 12.0251, Parks and Wildlife Code (Disclosure of Information Collected During Technical Guidance to Private Landowner), to negotiate, contract, or enter an agreement with the United States or any of its agencies, another state or its political subdivision, or a political subdivision of this state, or a nonprofit organization for research and fieldwork, or for professional services relating to a project of the department, consistent with Subchapter A, Chapter 2254, Government Code (Professional and Consulting Services). (b) Requires the Parks and Wildlife Commission, by rule, to adopt policies and procedures consistent with applicable state procurement practices for soliciting and awarding contracts under this section. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.