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  H.B. No. 1326
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Military
  Department.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 437.001(6), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
               (6)  "Director of state administration" ["Executive
  director"] means the administrative head of the department who is
  responsible for managing the department.
         SECTION 2.  Section 437.051, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 437.051.  SUNSET PROVISION. The department is subject
  to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act).  Unless continued in existence as
  provided by that chapter, the department is abolished [and this
  subchapter expires] September 1, 2031 [2019].
         SECTION 3.  Section 437.052(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  The adjutant general shall adopt and implement
  regulations or policies that clearly separate the adjutant
  general's responsibilities from the administrative
  responsibilities of the department's [executive] director of state
  administration and staff.
         SECTION 4.  Section 437.053, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 437.053.  ADJUTANT GENERAL: DUTIES. The adjutant
  general shall:
               (1)  perform duties assigned by the governor relating
  to the military affairs of this state;
               (2)  assume responsibility for the overall leadership,
  management, accountability, and operations of the Texas military
  forces, including the transportation of troops, munitions,
  military equipment, and property in this state;
               (3)  assume responsibility for all administration of
  the department, including ensuring compliance with applicable
  state law and priorities and overseeing state employees;
               (4)  oversee the preparation of returns and reports
  required of this state by the United States;
               (5)  [(4)]  maintain a register of all officers of the
  Texas military forces;
               (6)  [(5)]  publish at state expense, when necessary,
  state military law and regulations;
               (7)  [(6)]  make available annual reports concerning
  the Texas military forces;
               (8)  [(7)]  establish reasonable and necessary fees
  for the administration of this subtitle;
               (9)  [(8)]  employ and arm, as the adjutant general
  determines appropriate, persons licensed under Title 10,
  Occupations Code, to protect property that is under the adjutant
  general's authority and to satisfy applicable security
  requirements;
               (10)  [(9)]  define and prescribe the kind and amount
  of supplies, including operational munitions for use in this state,
  to be purchased for the Texas military forces;
               (11)  [(10)]  prescribe general regulations for the
  maintenance of supplies and for the transportation and distribution
  of supplies from the place of purchase to camps, stations,
  companies, or other necessary places of safekeeping;
               (12)  [(11)]  have supplies, whether the property of
  the United States or this state, properly cared for and kept in good
  order and ready for use; and
               (13)  [(12)]  as the adjutant general determines
  appropriate, sell or destroy property and supplies or exchange
  property and supplies for other military property and supplies.
         SECTION 5.  Sections 437.060(a), (b), and (c), Government
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A person may not be appointed adjutant general, a deputy
  adjutant general, a general officer, judge advocate general, or
  [executive] director of state administration if the person is
  required to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305 because of the
  person's activities for compensation on behalf of a profession
  related to the operation of the department.
         (b)  An officer, employee, or paid consultant of a Texas
  trade association in the field of defense or veterans affairs may
  not be appointed adjutant general, a deputy adjutant general, a
  general officer, judge advocate general, or [executive] director of
  state administration.
         (c)  A person who is the spouse of an officer, manager, or
  paid consultant of a Texas trade association in the field of defense
  or veterans affairs may not be appointed adjutant general, a deputy
  adjutant general, a general officer, judge advocate general, or
  [executive] director of state administration.
         SECTION 6.  Section 437.062(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  A deputy adjutant general, general officer, or
  [executive] director of state administration employed under this
  chapter is entitled to a salary subject to the classification and
  salary schedule provisions defined in the General Appropriations
  Act.
         SECTION 7.  Section 437.063, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 437.063.  ADJUTANT GENERAL: DELEGATION OF EXPENDITURE
  APPROVAL AUTHORITY. The adjutant general may delegate the authority
  to approve department expenditures to the [executive] director of
  state administration.
         SECTION 8.  Section 437.101, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 437.101.  [EXECUTIVE] DIRECTOR OF STATE
  ADMINISTRATION.  (a)  The [executive] director of state
  administration is a senior-level [an] employee of the department
  and is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the adjutant
  general.
         (b)  Subject to Sections 437.052 and 437.054, the
  [executive] director of state administration may enter into
  contracts related to the purposes or duties of the department and
  may have and use a corporate seal.
         (c)  The [executive] director of state administration is
  responsible for the daily administration of the department's state
  support operations [department] and the operational compliance
  with the cooperative agreements between the department and the
  National Guard Bureau.
         (d)  The adjutant general shall adopt and implement a policy
  outlining the director of state administration's responsibility
  for state administrative interests across all department programs,
  including evaluating procedures for oversight of state employees
  and mitigating administrative and other compliance risks.
         SECTION 9.  Section 437.102, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 437.102.  DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL. (a)  The [executive]
  director of state administration may hire employees as necessary to
  carry on the state support operations of the department.
         (b)  The [executive] director of state administration or the
  director of state administration's [executive director's] designee
  shall provide to the adjutant general and to department employees,
  as often as necessary, information regarding the requirements for
  office or employment under this chapter, including information
  regarding a person's responsibilities under applicable laws
  relating to standards of conduct for state officers or employees.
         SECTION 10.  Section 437.104, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 437.104.  CAREER LADDER PROGRAM; PERFORMANCE
  EVALUATIONS.  (a)  The [executive] director of state administration
  shall develop a career ladder program. The program must require
  intra-agency postings of all non-entry level positions
  concurrently with any public posting.
         (b)  The [executive] director of state administration shall
  develop a system of employee performance evaluations. The system
  must require that evaluations be conducted at least annually. All
  merit pay for department employees must be based on the system
  established under this subsection.
         SECTION 11.  Section 437.108, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 437.108.  TECHNOLOGY POLICY. The department shall
  develop and implement a policy requiring the [executive] director
  of state administration and department's employees to research and
  propose appropriate technological solutions to improve the
  department's ability to perform its functions.  The technological
  solutions must:
               (1)  ensure that the public is able to easily find
  information about the department on the Internet;
               (2)  ensure that persons who want to use the
  department's services are able to:
                     (A)  interact with the department through the
  Internet; and
                     (B)  access any service that can be provided
  effectively through the Internet; and
               (3)  be cost-effective and developed through the
  department's planning processes.
         SECTION 12.  Section 437.151(a), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  The real property advisory council is composed of the
  following eight members:
               (1)  two deputy adjutants general;
               (2)  the [executive] director of state administration;
  and
               (3)  five public members who are not actively serving
  in the Texas National Guard and who have experience in
  architecture, construction management, engineering, property
  management, facilities maintenance management, real estate
  services, or real property law.
         SECTION 13.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1326 was passed by the House on April
  5, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 1326 on May 14, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 137, Nays 0,
  3 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 1326 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 3, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor