HBA-TBM S.B. 1650 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1650
By: Bernsen
Appropriations
5/15/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Division of Emergency Management (DEM) and other state
agencies with disaster response, recovery, and mitigation responsibilities
are staffed at a preparedness level and do not have sufficient personnel to
effectively staff recovery and mitigation operations.  Typically, this void
is managed by hiring or contracting with temporary personnel.  Should these
personnel remain on the state agency payroll over a certain time period,
they are counted as full-time employees and may have an impact on the
current fulltime employee cap.  Additionally, travel expenses are expenses
that are reported in an agency's travel allowances, which may also have an
impact on an agency's finances.  Senate Bill 1650 provides that such
temporary personnel do not count against a state agency's full-time
employee authorization and travel expenses in certain cases are not
considered reportable against travel allowances.   

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

Senate Bill 1650 amends the Government Code to provide that travel expenses
related to providing disaster assistance in a disaster declared by the
governor or the president of the United States (president) are not
considered expenses to be reported in a state agency's authorized travel
allowance.  This provision applies only to travel expenses incurred during
the time a disaster field office is operational and by personnel assigned
disaster related duties authorized by the state coordinating officer, the
governor's authorized representative, or the disaster district chairperson.

The bill authorizes a state agency that is represented on the emergency
management council to employ or contract with temporary personnel as
necessary to provide disaster assistance to a political subdivision after a
disaster is declared by the governor or the president.  The agency is
authorized to pay for the employees or contract personnel from funds
appropriated to the state agency, federal funds, or the disaster
contingency fund.  The state merit system does not apply to a person
employed to provide disaster assistance during a disaster.  Such a person
does not count against the state agency's full-time employee authorization.
These provisions apply only during the time a disaster field office is
operational.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.