HBA-DMD S.B. 747 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 747
By: Shapleigh
State Affairs
4/27/1999
Engrossed


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas law does not require state governmental bodies to record
the categories of public information requested from the other governmental
bodies or the frequency with which different categories of public
information are requested. The lack of this data can make 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.  S.B. 747 requires state governmental bodies to keep a record of and
report to the General Services Commission (commission) the categories of
public information requested from the governmental body and the frequency
with which the different categories are requested. This bill requires the
commission to report to the legislature on its analysis of the types of
public information most often requested. 

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 Chapter 552A, 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 to report to the legislature no later than November 1 of each
even-numbered year on the frequency with which different categories of
public information are requested from state governmental bodies under this
chapter.  

(c) Requires the commission, at a minimum, to 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 frequent requested categories of
public information without waiting for the information to be requested
under this chapter. 

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