HBA-BSM H.B. 2259 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2259
By: Coleman
State Affairs
3/21/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Texas is one of the fastest growing states in the nation.  The 2000 federal
census determined that Texas has a population of approximately 21 million.
Additionally, Texas is a diverse state geographically, economially, and in
terms of the racial and ethnic characteristics of its people.  Determining
the size and distribution, the characteristics, and the implications of
Texas' population change is of clear importance for Texas government as it
plans for the future of the state.  House Bill 2259 creates the position of
state demographer. 

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 2259 amends the Government and Education codes relating to the
designation and functions of a state demographer.  This bill requires the
lieutenant governor to designate an employee or officer of a state agency
as the state demographer.  A person is ineligible for this position unless
they have a graduate degree with specialization in demography or a closely
related field of study and extensive experience in employing demographic
and related socioeconomic data for use by legislative, public, and private
entities. The bill requires the agency employing the state demographer to
provide staff necessary for the state demographer to perform the
demographer's duties, and to also provide the main office for the state
demographer.  The bill requires the Texas Legislative Council to provide
office space and other support in Austin necessary for the state
demographer to perform the demographer's duties for the legislature. 

The bill also requires the state demographer to:

 _disseminate demographic and related socioeconomic data to the public; 
 
 _provide annual population estimates for all counties and municipalities
in the state; 
 
 _provide biennial population projections for the state and all counties of
the state; 
 
 _provide information to the legislature relating to the impact that
demographic and socioeconomic changes in the population of the state have
on the demand for state services; and 
 
 _evaluate the type and quality of data needed to adequately monitor
demographic and socioeconomic changes in the population of the state, and
assess the effectiveness of delivery of state services. 



 EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.