HBA-TYH H.B. 2833 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2833
By: Turner, Sylvester
State Affairs
3/26/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas law does not require state governmental bodies to record
either the categories of public information requested from the governmental
bodies or the frequency with which different categories of public
information are requested.  The lack of this data makes it difficult to
determine whether it might be more cost-effective for state government to
publicize frequently requested categories of public information rather than
waiting for information to be requested under the Public Information Act. 

H.B. 2833 requires state governmental bodies to keep a record of and report
to the General Services Commission the categories of public information
requested from the governmental bodies and the frequency with which the
different categories are requested.  This bill also requires the General
Services Commission to report to the legislature regarding its analysis of
the types of public information most often requested from governmental
bodies in an effort to determine whether certain categories of public
information could be publicized more frequently. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the General Services Commission in
SECTION 1 (Section 552.009, Government Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 552, Government Code, by adding
Section 552.009, as follows:  

Sec. 552.009.  DETERMINING TYPES OF INFORMATION FREQUENTLY REQUESTED FROM
STATE GOVERNMENTAL BODIES; RULES AND REPORT OF GENERAL SERVICES COMMISSION.
(a)  Requires each state governmental body to keep a record of and report
to the General Services Commission (commission) the categories of public
information requested from the governmental body under this chapter and the
frequency with which the different categories of public information are
requested.  
 
(b)  Requires the commission to prescribe the form of the report required
under Subsection (a)  and to prescribe, by rule, the categories into which
requested public information will be divided for purposes of this section.
Requires the commission to analyze the information it receives under this
section and report to the legislature by November 1 of each even-numbered
year.  
 
(c)  Requires the commission to, at a minimum, design the categories of
information and draft its report so that the legislature and state
governmental bodies may determine the extent to which it would be
cost-effective for state government or useful to members of the public for
state governmental bodies to publicize frequently requested categories of
public information without waiting for the information to be requested
under this chapter.  

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.