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New President of UT-Dallas NamedDavid E. Daniel, engineering dean at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was named president of the University of Texas at Dallas yesterday by the UT System Board of Regents. Daniel will succeed President Franklyn Jenifer who will retire this year. Daniel earned his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in civil engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. He served on the engineering faculty of UT Austin with increasing responsibilities from 1980 until 1996 when he moved to the University of Illinois. He was named engineering dean at Illinois in 2001. 
Houston Lawyer Appointed Presiding Officer of TRS BoardGov. Rick Perry has designated Jarvis V. Hollingsworth, a partner in the public law section of the law firm Bracewell & Patterson in Houston, as the presiding officer of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas Board of Trustees for a term to expire Aug. 31, 2007. Hollingsworth has served on the board since 2002. Previously, he served on the board of directors of the State Bar of Texas. Hollingsworth is a director of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, and is the former general counsel to the Fort Bend Independent School District Foundation. Two UT Regents Named to UTIMCO BoardH. Scott Caven and Robert Rowling, both members of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, have been named as the new regent representatives on the board of directors of the University of Texas Investment Management Co. (UTIMCO). They replace John Barnhill Jr. and Rita Clements. Austin-based UTIMCO oversees investments for the UT and Texas A&M systems. It has more than $17 billion in assets under management. 
Caven was appointed to a six-year term on the UT System Board of Regents by Gov. Perry in 2003. He is Managing Director and Regional Manager for Texas of Atlantic Trust Company, NA, a private wealth management firm. He was with Goldman, Sachs & Co. from 1969 to 2001. Caven worked in the Office of Governor John B. Connally, Jr. in 1968-69 as a legal and planning assistant. He served as the first Chairman of the Texas Growth Fund Board of Trustees and was a member of the Texas Strategic Economic Policy Commission. 
Rowling has served on the UT System Board of Regents since July 2004. He is the owner and chairman of TRT Holdings Inc., a privately owned, diversified holding company located in Irving. He chairs Southern Methodist University's (SMU) Willis M. Tate Distinguished Lecture Series and is a past member of the advisory councils for the Longhorn Foundation and the Red McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin. Rowling was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame in October 2003 and received the 2003 Distinguished Alumni Award from SMU's Dedman School of Law. 
Former State Rep Begins Work at Texas Railroad CommissionFormer State Rep. Elizabeth Ames Jones started her new job this week as one of the three Commissioners of the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC). Gov. Perry nominated Jones last month to replace Charles Matthews, who is leaving to become chancellor of the nine-campus Texas State University System. The Senate confirmed her appointment this week. Because of her nomination to the RRC, Jones, who has represented northeastern Bexar County since 2000, declined to take her seat in the House last month. 
Congleton Reappointed as TWC CommissionerGov. Rick Perry has reappointed Ronald G. Congleton as Commissioner Representing Labor for the Texas Workforce Commission. Congleton was first appointed to the three-member Commission in October 2003. His appointment will expire in February 2011. Congleton has 35 years of experience in negotiations representing working Texans. A former truck driver and hazardous material handler, he served as head steward and president of Teamsters Local 745 in Dallas for many years. Congleton also has served as the chairman of the Southern Region Grievance Committee for nine southern states and was a member of the National Grievance Committee in Washington, D.C., from 2000 to 2002. 
Fort Worth Attorney Named to Texas Racing CommissionGov. Rick Perry has appointed Louis E. Sturns, an attorney with Mallory & Sturns in Fort Worth, to the Texas Racing Commission. His term will expire Feb. 1, 2007. The appointment is subject to senate confirmation. Sturns previously served as a judge of a district court in Tarrant County and the Court of Criminal Appeals. He is a board member of the Trinity River Authority and previously served on the Texas Ethics Commission. Forecast Rosy For State and Local IT ProcurementThe future looks bright for companies that sell information technology products and services to state and local governments, according to a study done by market research firm IDC. IDC analysts expect demand to increase by a compound average growth rate of 6.8 percent per year during the next five years after recent lean times of flat IT budgets. State IT purchases will increase at a yearly average of 5.8 percent, while local sales will grow at 3.9 percent. The IDC study sees packaged software as the leading growth area, reaching a total of a little more than $2.6 billion in 2009 compared to $1.79 million in 2003 for an average yearly growth of 7.9 percent. Hardware sales will grow 6.7 percent a year to $3.81 billion, while services will reach nearly $4.58 billion for a 6.3 percent average year rate. Emphasis on system consolidation and mandates on state and local government officials to share data with the federal government - primarily for homeland security - will be the driving forces behind the growth, according to the study. UT System Will Bid on Presidential LibraryThe University of Texas System Board of Regents has announced the creation of a special ad hoc advisory committee to develop proposals for the Presidential Library of President George W. Bush. Other universities which may bid on the library include Baylor University and Southern Methodist University. Two Executives Named to HTC BoardThe Houston Technology Center (HTC) has elected Rice University President David Leebron and Hewlett-Packard executive Jeri Callaway to its board of directors. HTC is a business accelerator that assists Houston-based emerging technology companies within several key sectors: Energy, Information Technology, Life Sciences, Nanotechnology and NASA-originated technologies. Leebron is currently president of Rice University. He previously served as dean and Lucy G. Moses Professor of Law at Columbia University School of Law and was Professor of Law and director, International Legal Studies Program with New York University School of Law. Callaway is vice president and general manager of HP's personal systems group. In this role, she has responsibility for customer relationships and go-to-market activities for North America Commercial Products. Prior to joining HP in 2002, Callaway was vice president and general manager of the commercial client business at Compaq Computer Corp. Callaway and Leebron join 35 other members on the HTC board. UT Drops Los Alamos Bid, Signs MOU With National LabThe UT System board of regents voted Thursday to drop its pursuit of a bid to manage Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Instead, it approved a five-year collaborative agreement with Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico. The MOU calls for:
For more information, click here. Three Texans Appointed to New House Committee on Homeland SecurityTexas representatives Lamar Smith, Michael McCaul and Sheila Jackson-Lee have been named as charter members of the new permanent House Committee on Homeland Security. The committee is the principal legislative and oversight committee for the Department of Homeland Security and has primary jurisdiction over government-wide counterterrorism policy. TxDOT Wants $100 Million a Year to Relocate Freight Lines, Ability to Finance Toll RoadsThe Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is asking the legislature to appropriate $100 million a year from general revenue to establish a rail relocation bonding program to relocate railroad lines that clog traffic in the state's urban areas. The program would have to be approved by voters as an amendment to the state constitution. TxDOT also wants to increase the money it can spend on toll roads by abolishing a law capping state tollway expenditures at $800 million per year. Numerous Bond Issues PassedLast weekend, voters around the state headed to the polls to vote on school bond proposals. Bond programs that passed include:
The Alamo Community College District's (ADDC) $450 million bond proposal did not pass. The money would have been used for the construction of a fifth community college in the northeast sector of the county, expansion at the four existing campuses and construction of a nursing and allied health campus in the South Texas Medical Center area. Dallas Mayor Outlines Downtown ProjectsAt an event sponsored by the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce this week, Dallas Mayor Laura Miller outlined and updated a number of ambitious redevelopment projects for downtown Dallas. Redevelopment projects she discussed include:
Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority Chairman NamedGov. Rick Perry has appointed David Allex chairman of the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority, which is aimed at speeding that county's transportation projects. The Texas Transportation Commission in October approved the agency's creation as the state's fourth mobility authority. Similar panels were created in Bexar, Grayson and Williamson-Travis counties. Allex is a general partner with Allex and Associates International. He serves as president of Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives as well as with other agencies. CEO of Austin-Travis Hospital District NamedThe Travis County Hospital District board has chosen Patricia Young as the district's first CEO. The hospital district oversees health care services for poor and uninsured people, including the city/county clinics and Brackenridge Hospital. Young, a certified public accountant, worked for Seton Healthcare Network for nine years before becoming CEO of Austin's Community Care Services Department in 2000. Lens on the Legislature: Fiscal Notes and Impact StatementsThrough noon today, 1,993 bills and 45 joint resolutions have been introduced in the 79th session. Some readers may wonder how the legislature keeps track of the impact of those bills and resolutions. There are two kinds of analysis routinely prepared by the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) staff: Fiscal Notes and Impact Statements. A fiscal note is an estimate of the costs, savings, and revenue gains or losses that are expected to occur as a result of the bill or joint resolution that is being evaluated. The estimates only address the direct effect a bill would have on state (i.e. not including federal) government expenditures or revenues. In addition to the estimate, the fiscal note identifies the portions of the bill that would create the fiscal impact. The law also requires a fiscal note for any bill or joint resolution that would have statewide impact on all units of local government of the same type or class, such as all cities or all counties. For example, a bill that would authorize or require a new local tax, fee, license charge or penalty would require a fiscal note. The fiscal impact estimates are required to be projected for the five-year period that begins on the effective date of the bill or resolution. The note must also state whether or not the impact will continue thereafter. The director of the LBB may choose to project the fiscal impact beyond the five-year period. Fiscal note estimates are based on law in effect at the time they are produced and on the Comptroller's Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) released at the beginning of the legislative session. They assume that no changes will be made to law other than those resulting from the particular bill's implementation. They further assume that the BRE will remain unchanged. Fiscal notes come into the process once a bill has been referred to a committee; an author or sponsor is not authorized to request a fiscal note unless he or she is the chair of the committee to which that bill is referred. An impact statement is created when proposed legislation has impact in specifically enumerated areas and will be the subject of next week's Lens on the Legislature. Bills can have both fiscal notes and impact statements. Here are some useful references about fiscal notes for the interested reader:
Plans For Pflugerville Horse Racing Track ScratchedAustin Jockey Club Ltd. has notified the Texas Racing Commission that it is withdrawing its application to build a $15 million, 200-acre horse racing track just east of downtown Pflugerville. Last weekend, Pflugerville voters turned out in record numbers to say they oppose the track. Because the referendum was nonbinding, it couldn't officially stop the track from being built, but residents' disapproval of the project most likely helped sway Austin Jockey Club to pull out of the project. DHS Awards Fire Departments $710,708Eight Texas fire departments have received grants totaling $710,708 in the 33rd round of the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grants will ultimately total approximately 8,000 awards worth nearly $750 million in direct assistance to firefighters throughout the country. Grant recipients include:
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program assists rural, urban and suburban fire departments throughout the United States. These funds increase the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, new fire apparatus, emergency medical service programs, and fire prevention and safety programs in local departments. |
Strategic Partnerships, Inc. (SPI) is a research and procurement consulting firm offering business development and public affairs services. Founded in 1994, SPI has offices in Texas and California. To learn more about SPI services click here or contact Crystal Kuhs at 512-531-3900. News From Strategic Partnerships, Inc.Focus on SPI Consultants
Pat Younger is SPI's port expert. She currently serves as Executive Director of the Gulf Ports Association of the Americas - an organization of the thirty-one U.S. and eleven Mexican ports on the Gulf. She previously worked at the Port of Houston Authority for 12 years. While at the port, she was elected President of the Texas Ports Association, marking the first time in the association's history that a female and a non-port director was elected to this post. To read Pat's full bio, click here.
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Recent Government AppointmentsThe following appointees have been submitted to the Texas Senate for confirmation:
LBB Releases New ReportsThe Legislative Budget Board (LBB) has released two new reports: Texas A&M University Performance Review Appropriations Bill Overview 2006-07 Biennium Legislative WatchBills of interest to our readers: Under Senate Bill 6, counties would have to provide guardians for senior citizens and other adults unable to care for themselves - or pay the state to do it. Under House Bill 7, the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission would be abolished and some of its regulatory functions would be moved to the Department of Insurance. Senate Bill 400 is the companion bill in the Senate. Under House Bill 913, the Texas Ethics Commission would have veto power over local prosecutors' prosecution of crimes under the election code.
Under Senate Bill 432, the Public Safety Radio Communications Council would be abolished and some of the council's functions would be transferred to the Governor's office. Under House Bill 1026, the liability of the State would be changed with regard to certain contract claims. Under Senate Bill 452, many duties of the Texas Building and Procurement Commission would be transferred to the Office of Attorney General. Texas Senators Say State's Bases May be SparedTexas Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn have said they are optimistic about the future of Texas' 17 military installations as the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure, or BRAC, process gears up next month after meeting this week with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld has said previously that he wants to close a fourth of the nation's 400-plus military installations. But the two senators said Rumsfeld told them that the return of more than 70,000 troops from Europe and Asia could significantly reduce the need to close U.S. bases. The BRAC process begins in March with the appointment of a commission that will conduct hearings before submitting base-closing recommendations to President Bush by September. The Pentagon closed 97 bases after reviews in 1988, 1991, 1993 and 1995. The last round of base closings, in 1995, resulted in 27 major closures, including Bergstrom Air Reserve Base, southeast of Austin, and Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock. MALDEF Voices Concerns of House's School Finance PlanLawyers for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), which represents some of the state's poorest school districts, voiced their opposition on the House's proposed school finance bill to the House Public Education Committee this week. The group is just one of many who have said they do not support the proposed plan. The House Public Education Committee is in the early stages of crafting a final version of the school reform bill, which probably will go to the full chamber for debate in early March. Child Protective Services Seeks Director of InvestigationsThe Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is seeking applications for a director of the new Division of Investigations within its Child Protective Services program. The posting calls for candidates with extensive law enforcement background and experience working child abuse and neglect cases, with an emphasis on forensics investigation and supervisory experience. To view the job posting, click here. Event Links40th Annual Association of Mayors, Councilmembers and Commissioners Institute - 02/12/05 - 02/13/05 Texas Municipal League Legislative Briefing - 02/14/05 3rd Annual RFID World Conference and Exhibit - 3/1/05 - 3/3/05 Texas Classroom Teachers Association 50th Annual Convention - 3/3/05 - 3/5/05 44th Annual Emergency Management Training Conference - 3/21/05 - 3/24/05 25th Annual Association of Texas Professional Educators State Conference - 3/31/05 - 4/2/05 Texas Library Association Annual Conference - 4/5/05 - 4/8/05
5th Annual Internet Security Forum for Texas State Government - 4/13/05 TASSCC Technology Education Conference (TEC) - 4/14/05 Texas Public Health Association's 80th Annual Education Conference - 04/24/05 - 04/26/05 TASB Summer Leadership Institute - 06/23/05 - 06/24/05
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Past ABJ articles by Mary Scott NabersGovernment agencies often look outside for training help - 1/14/2005 Texas' open records laws can offer wealth of information for contractors - 12/17/2004 Texas Government Insider ArchivesLast Issue - 2/4/05 Volume 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3 Archives - 11/7/03 - 1/28/05 ResourcesRules and Precedents of the Texas House TxDOT's 2006 Project Selection Process Diagram of Legislative Process State Contract Management Guide Who Represents Me? Texas Districts By Address Diagram of Texas' Biennial Budget Cycle Public Hearings/MeetingsRailroad Commission--9:30am, February 15, 1701 North Congress, Room 1-111, First Floor, Austin Upcoming Senate Committee Meetings Upcoming House Committee Meetings Subscribe to the Texas Government Insider™We welcome you to add your friends and co-workers to the Texas Government Insider™ distribution. Simply click the Sign up for our mailing list icon near the top of this issue. Occasionally, we learn about people who signed up, but didn’t get the Texas Government Insider™. In nearly all cases, the problem turned out to be spam filtering on the receiving end. We strongly support the elimination of undesired email and applaud the use of technology to filter it. Occasionally, however, such filters prevent email that the recipient wanted to receive. If you have been unable to receive the Texas Government Insider™ or suddenly stop receiving it, we urge you to contact your information technology department to see if this was the cause. |
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Sourcing in the Public Sector SeminarThe Texas Association of Public Purchasers will present a three day seminar, Sourcing in the Public Sector, March 8 - 10 at the Clarion Inn and Suites Conference Center located at 2200 S. IH-35 in Austin. Course participants will be provided a comprehensive overview of the sourcing process within the public sector. Essential elements, including pre-sourcing planning, needs assessment, specifications, scope of work, deliverables, procurement strategies, value analysis, and internal control processes are explored. Determining the appropriate sourcing method, preparing the relevant sourcing invitation document, managing the acquisition process, evaluation of response submissions, and contract awards will also be explored. In addition, trends and technology developments and their effect of processes will be discussed. The registration deadline is noon on February 11. For more information or to register, click here. 44th Annual Emergency Management Training ConferenceThe Governor's Division of Emergency Management will hold the 44th Annual Emergency Management Training Conference at the Waco Convention Center March 21 - 24. The conference attracts about 1,200 local, state and national officials from the emergency management community including first responders, fire and law enforcement personnel, county emergency manatement coordinators, and members of voluntary agencies providing disaster assistance. The training conference is intended to give professionals the tools they need to respond to, and recover from, any type of emergency in Texas. For more information, click here. TASSCC Technology Education Conference (TEC)The 4th Annual TASSCC Technology Education Conference (TEC), Contracting - Texas Style!, will be held on April 14 at the J.J. Pickle Center in Austin. This conference will feature practical tips on negotiating and contracting from respected experts including State Auditor John Keel and Cindy Reed, Executive Director - Texas Building & Procurement Commission. For online registration and additional information regarding the agenda, speakers, scholarships, and sponsorship opportunities, visit: www.tasscc.org. |
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