1-1 By: Rosson S.C.R. No. 74 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 27, 1995; February 28, 1995, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; 1-4 April 7, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 10, 1-5 Nays 0; April 7, 1995, sent to printer.) 1-6 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, An informed and knowledgeable populace is an 1-8 essential feature of democracy, ensuring that citizens can vote 1-9 intelligently and participate effectively in our republican form of 1-10 government; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The Texas open records law provides that "each 1-12 person is entitled, unless otherwise expressly provided by law, at 1-13 all times to complete information about the affairs of government 1-14 and the official acts of public officials and employees"; and 1-15 WHEREAS, Texas state government spends over $70 billion each 1-16 biennium in combined state and federal funds, with substantial 1-17 impact on the lives and well-being of millions of Texans in every 1-18 area of the state; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Allocation or distribution of these funds is based 1-20 on formulae and criteria established by state law or by the 1-21 administrative rulemaking of state agencies, boards, or 1-22 commissions; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Texas citizens, in order to competently evaluate 1-24 expenditure patterns and the impact of state government programs, 1-25 require access to these formulae and criteria and to related 1-26 funding data; now, therefore, be it 1-27 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-28 hereby declare it to be the policy of this state that facts and 1-29 information pertaining to the operation, funding, distribution, and 1-30 allocation of state government resources be readily available to 1-31 the general public; and, be it further 1-32 RESOLVED, That the legislature direct each executive-branch 1-33 agency, board, and commission, to the extent practical within its 1-34 available resources, to develop and disseminate at least annually 1-35 facts and information explaining the sources and expenditures of 1-36 funds for each program it administers, including formulae or 1-37 criteria that affect the distribution or allocation of such funds; 1-38 and, be it further 1-39 RESOLVED, That expenditure information be broken down, to the 1-40 extent that existing resources and information systems allow, on a 1-41 county-by-county basis and in per capita terms; and, be it further 1-42 RESOLVED, That each state agency, board, or commission 1-43 affected by this resolution endeavor, to the extent that existing 1-44 resources and information systems allow, to make its information 1-45 available electronically through the largest nonproprietary, 1-46 nonprofit cooperative public computer network. 1-47 * * * * *