HBA-CCH H.B. 1161 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1161 By: Eiland Human Services 3/4/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Business Enterprises Program (BEP) is a federally funded, state-administered program that provides opportunities for blind and visually impaired individuals to operate food services and other BEP selected businesses in public and private facilities. The 76th Legislature established a trust fund in the state treasury for the BEP retirement program. Currently, the BEP retirement fund only grows at a rate of about 5 percent each year. If, however, a professional management service managed the retirement fund, it could increase the fund's profits. House Bill 1161 authorizes the Texas Commission for the Blind to contract with a professional management service to manage the BEP trust fund. 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 1161 amends the Human Resources Code to authorize the Texas Commission for the Blind to contract with a professional management service to administer the operations of the Business Enterprises Program trust fund. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.