TO:	Honorable Kelly Hancock, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce
FROM:	John McGeady, Assistant Director     Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB943 by Watson (Relating to the disclosure of certain contracting information under the public information law.), As Introduced

The bill relates to and would regulate contracting information and certain entities that handle contracting information that would be considered public. The bill would define "contracting information" and establish it as public unless excepted under other provisions. The bill would create specific contracting information exceptions for confidential and proprietary information of vendors and contractors, amend timelines and requestor options to compel an entity to comply with certain provisions. The bill would also list eight types of entities that would be considered governmental bodies for the limited purpose of the disclosure of contracting information and requirements that must be included in a contract between a governmental body and an entity.

According to the Department of Criminal Justice, the Office of the Attorney General, the Department of Family and Protective Services, and the Health and Human Services Commission, there will be no significant fiscal impact. This analysis assumes any costs to the General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board could be absorbed within current resources.

Local Government Impact

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined at this time. According to the Texas Municipal League, the local government fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because the number of requests and scope of the requests are unknown. Depending on the size and scope of the requests, there would be an indeterminate fiscal cost.