BILL ANALYSIS



S.B. 1453
By: Rosson (Danburg)
May 9, 1995
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Legislative bill tracking information is comparable to that found
on the Legislative Information System (LIS) of the Texas
Legislature. Legislative bill tracking information is a common
variety of state-government information and can be publicly
retrieved by remote electronic means.

Most states or legislatures operate their own computerized bill
tracking system, which may or may not be accessible to the public.
If accessible, they usually require payment of user fees and
attract interest groups and lobbyists. In a few states, the only
computerized bill tracking system either for legislators or for the
public, is a fee-based system operated by a private vendor. In
other cases, a vendor system co-exists with a system run by the
legislature, especially if the legislative system is not publicly
accessible or the vendor system provides extra enhancements. The
trend in state government is toward increasing public access to
bill tracking information.

In January 1995, Texas joined California, Hawaii, Minnesota, New
York, North Carolina, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming in
providing free legislative information through the Internet. The
information maintained by the Texas Legislative Council is made
available to the public through the Internet.

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1453 provides for the electronic availability of
legislative information through the Internet.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 323, Government Code, by adding Section
323.0145, as follows:

     Sec. 323.0145. ELECTRONIC AVAILABILITY OF LEGISLATIVE
     INFORMATION THROUGH THE INTERNET. (a) Defines "Internet" and
     "legislative information."
     
     (b) Authorizes the Texas Legislative Council (council), to
       the extent it considers it to be feasible and appropriate,
       to make legislative information available to the public
       through the Internet.
       
       (c) Authorizes the council to make available to the public
       through the Internet any documentation that describes the
       electronic digital formats of legislative information.
       
       (d) Provides that the access to legislative information
       allowed by this section: is in addition to the public's
       access to the information through other electronic or print
       distribution of the information; does not alter, diminish,
       or relinquish any copyright or other proprietary interest or
       entitlement of the State of Texas or a private entity under
       contract with the state; and does not affect Section
       323.014.
       
       SECTION 2.   Effective date: September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

SB 1453 was considered by the committee in a public hearing on May
9, 1995.  The Chair laid out SB 1453 and recognized Rep. Danburg to
explain the bill.  The bill was reported favorably without
amendment with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed,
by a record vote of 14 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, and 1 absent.