HBA-TBM, CCH H.B. 2065 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2065
By: Eiland
Appropriations
4/1/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, it is not clear in statute whether the attorney general has the
authority to appropriate settlement money for a specific purpose other than
general revenue.  House Bill 2065 directs all money that is awarded to the
state in settlement to be certified by the comptroller of public accounts
and deposited into the appropriate account.   

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 2065 amends the Government Code to authorize the attorney
general to certify to the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller) and
the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) that money awarded to the state to
settle a claim is money to be credited to an account kept by the
comptroller for a particular appropriation if it is not clear to which
account the money should be credited under current law.  The bill requires
the comptroller to act in accordance with the certification received on the
31st day after its receipt or the day following the date the comptroller
receives the written prior approval of the LBB to act in accordance with
the certification.  If before the 31st day after the comptroller receives
the certification the comptroller receives from the LBB a certification
that the money is to be credited to a different account for a particular
appropriation or that the money should not be credited to any account for a
particular appropriation, the comptroller is required to act in accordance
with the LBB's certification.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.