HBA-JLV H.B. 1624 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1624
By: Isett
State Affairs
2/27/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Due to rapid technology advances, government information technology
planners have a difficult time coping with equipment compatibility and the
costs of upgrading the equipment.  This may encourage state agencies to
seek to improve the cost-effectiveness of their operations by identifying
internal functions that can be performed more efficiently by the private
sector.  A seat management division may provide an opportunity for the
state to address these issues.  House  Bill 1624 requires the Department of
Information Resources to create a seat management division study,
transferring to private contractors certain state agency personal computing
equipment and the responsibility for computer services. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1624 amends the Government Code to require the Department of
Information Resources (department) to select 10 to 12 state agencies to
participate in a pilot study and to create a seat management division
(division) to conduct the study.  The bill requires each agency to study
the total cost of all personal computers and related systems used by the
agency, including both owned and leased systems.  The bill requires the
department, including the division, to assist an agency, upon request, in
complying with these provisions.  The bill requires each agency, not later
than May 1, 2002, to report on the results of its study to the department,
including the division.  The bill requires the division to analyze the
results of the studies to assess the feasibility of establishing a
statewide seat management system.  The bill requires the division to study
different types of contracts that could be used to implement seat
management. The bill also requires the division, not later than November 1,
2002, to report its recommendations to the appropriate members of the
legislature. 

The bill describes the seat management method and specifies
responsibilities of the private vendor hired by an agency to manage the
personal computing needs of the agency. 

The bill requires each state agency, not later than September 1, 2002 and
September 1, 2003, to provide the division with an inventory of all
personal computers used by that agency as of June 1, 2002, and June 1,
2003, respectively.  The bill provides that these provisions expire by
September 2, 2003. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.