HBA-MPA H.B. 2008 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2008 By: Walker Transportation 3/12/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is authorized to enter into contracts for the development of aeronautics, but is required to submit each contract to the attorney general for approval as to form. This is a holdover from the period during which aviation was an independent agency. The independent agency, known as the Texas Aeronautics Commission from 1945 to 1989, became the Texas Department of Aviation in 1989. In 1991, the Department of Aviation became a division of TxDOT. Now that aviation is part of TxDOT, which has its own general counsel's office, the requirement to have the attorney general approve contracts as to form is no longer necessary. TxDOT enters into approximately 150 to 200 contracts per year. These contracts contain language already approved by the office of the attorney general. H.B. 2008 repeals the requirement that certain contracts that provide for the development of aeronautics be approved as to form by the attorney general. 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. Repealer: Section 21.054(c) (Authority to Contract), Transportation Code, requiring the Texas Department of Transportation to submit a contract entered into by TxDOT to the attorney general as to form. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.