bill renaming the Sunset Advisory Commission SLICE

The text as introduced · 1,146 words

89R11991 BCH-D

By: Hancock
S.B. No. 1594

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to renaming the Sunset Advisory Commission as the Sunset

Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency Advisory Commission and

the duties of that commission.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 325, Government Code, is

amended to read as follows:

CHAPTER 325. SUNSET LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE FOR COST EFFICIENCY

(SLICE) LAW

SECTION 2. Section 325.001, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 325.001. SHORT TITLE. This chapter may be cited as the

Texas Sunset Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency (SLICE)

Act.

SECTION 3. Section 325.002(3), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(3) "Commission" means the Sunset Legislative

Initiative for Cost Efficiency Advisory Commission.

SECTION 4. The heading to Section 325.003, Government Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 325.003. SUNSET LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE FOR COST

EFFICIENCY ADVISORY COMMISSION.

SECTION 5. Section 325.003(a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) The Sunset Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency

Advisory Commission is a legislative agency that consists of five

members of the senate and one public member appointed by the

lieutenant governor and five members of the house of

representatives and one public member appointed by the speaker of

the house. The lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house may

serve as one of the legislative appointees.

SECTION 6. Chapter 325, Government Code, is amended by

adding Section 325.0035 to read as follows:

Sec. 325.0035. REFERENCES IN LAW. (a) A reference in law

to the Sunset Advisory Commission is a reference to the Sunset

Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency Advisory Commission.

(b) A reference in law to the Texas Sunset Act is a reference

to the Texas Sunset Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency

(SLICE) Act.

SECTION 7. Section 325.011, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 325.011. CRITERIA FOR REVIEW. The commission and its

staff shall consider the following criteria in determining whether

a public need exists for the continuation of a state agency or its

advisory committees or for the performance of the functions of the

agency or its advisory committees:

(1) the efficiency and effectiveness with which the

agency or the advisory committee operates , including:

(A) an assessment of efficiency in delivering

programs and services to entities and other persons; and

(B) an assessment of appropriated funds and

spending to determine potential spending efficiencies and identify

waste in the delivery of programs and services ;

(2)(A) an identification of the mission, goals, and

objectives intended for the agency or advisory committee and of the

problem or need that the agency or advisory committee was intended

to address; and

(B) the extent to which the mission, goals, and

objectives have been achieved and the problem or need has been

addressed;

(3)(A) an identification of any activities of the

agency in addition to those granted by statute and of the authority

for those activities; and

(B) the extent to which those activities are

needed;

(4) an assessment of authority of the agency relating

to fees, inspections, enforcement, and penalties;

(5) whether less restrictive or alternative methods of

performing any function that the agency performs could adequately

protect or provide service to the public;

(6) the extent to which the jurisdiction of the agency

and the programs administered by the agency overlap or duplicate

those of other agencies, the extent to which the agency coordinates

with those agencies, and the extent to which the programs

administered by the agency can be consolidated with the programs of

other state agencies;

(7) the promptness and effectiveness with which the

agency addresses complaints concerning entities or other persons

affected by the agency, including an assessment of the agency's

administrative hearings process;

(8) an assessment of the agency's rulemaking process

and the extent to which the agency has encouraged participation by

the public in making its rules and decisions and the extent to which

the public participation has resulted in rules that benefit the

public;

(9) the extent to which the agency has complied with:

(A) federal and state laws and applicable rules

regarding equality of employment opportunity and the rights and

privacy of individuals; and

(B) state law and applicable rules of any state

agency regarding purchasing guidelines and programs for

historically underutilized businesses;

(10) the extent to which the agency issues and

enforces rules relating to potential conflicts of interest of its

employees;

(11) the extent to which the agency complies with

Chapters 551 and 552 and follows records management practices that

enable the agency to respond efficiently to requests for public

information;

(12) the effect of federal intervention or loss of

federal funds if the agency is abolished;

(13) the extent to which the purpose and effectiveness

of reporting requirements imposed on the agency justifies the

continuation of the requirement; and

(14) an assessment of the agency's cybersecurity

practices using confidential information available from the

Department of Information Resources or any other appropriate state

agency.

SECTION 8. (a) Effective January 1, 2026:

(1) the name of the Sunset Advisory Commission is

changed to the Sunset Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency

Advisory Commission, and all powers, duties, rights, and

obligations of the Sunset Advisory Commission are the powers,

duties, rights, and obligations of the Sunset Legislative

Initiative for Cost Efficiency Advisory Commission;

(2) a member of the Sunset Advisory Commission is a

member of the Sunset Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency

Advisory Commission; and

(3) any appropriation to the Sunset Advisory

Commission is an appropriation to the Sunset Legislative Initiative

for Cost Efficiency Advisory Commission.

(b) Effective January 1, 2026, a reference in law to the

Sunset Advisory Commission is a reference to the Sunset Legislative

Initiative for Cost Efficiency Advisory Commission.

(c) The Sunset Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency

Advisory Commission is the successor to the Sunset Advisory

Commission in all respects. All personnel, equipment, data,

documents, facilities, contracts, items, other property, rules,

decisions, and proceedings of or involving the Sunset Advisory

Commission are unaffected by the change in the name of the

commission.

(d) The Sunset Advisory Commission shall adopt a timetable

for phasing in the change of the commission's name so as to minimize

the fiscal impact of the name change. Until January 1, 2026, to

allow for phasing in the change of the commission's name and in

accordance with the timetable established as required by this

section, the commission may perform any act authorized by law for

the Sunset Advisory Commission as the Sunset Advisory Commission or

as the Sunset Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency Advisory

Commission. Any act of the Sunset Advisory Commission acting as the

Sunset Legislative Initiative for Cost Efficiency Advisory

Commission on or after the effective date of this Act and before

January 1, 2026, is an act of the Sunset Advisory Commission.

SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.