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.
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