BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 1453 By: Rosson Administration 5-3-95 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.