Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 1154 amends the Government Code to require a state agency to make its printed publications accessible from its website in an electronic format or to furnish the Texas State Library and Archives Commission with the electronic source file for the publications in the manner prescribed by commission rules. The bill also requires a state agency to include identifying and descriptive information for any state publication in electronic format as specified by commission and Department of Information Resources rules and to furnish copies of its electronic publications to the Texas State Library if the publications are not printed or available from the state agency's website.

            Senate Bill 1154 provides that an election to adopt a sales and use tax to create a library district in certain municipalities is to be treated also as an election to reduce the tax rate of an industrial development district if the proposed library district is within the boundaries of a certain type of industrial development corporation and the adoption of the sales and use tax would result in a combined tax rate of more than two percent in any location in the proposed district. It also provides that if the boundaries of the proposed district include any territory that is part of a municipality with an accredited municipal library, the governing body of that municipality must consent by resolution to allow the inclusion of that territory in the proposed district.

            Reason Given for Veto: "The amendment to Senate Bill No. 1154 concerning library districts would have an adverse effect on the Village of Bee Cave and its citizens by negating a voter-approved sales tax for economic development projects. The bill requires a reduction in the sales tax rate of a 4B development corporation if a library district and corresponding sales tax is subsequently created within the boundaries of the corporation. This would retroactively override the statutory petition and election process provided in current law.

                "The Mayor and City Council of the Village of Bee Cave have committed to providing the Lake Travis area with a fully-accredited library to be open within three years. The library will be available to the public without regard to residency and funded from sales tax revenues from the 4B development corporation.

                "I support the intent of Senate Bill No. 1154 as filed. Therefore, by executive order, I am directing state agencies to make their printed publications accessible from their websites in an electronic format and furnish to the State Library a list of publications as they become available."