SRC-TNM C.S.S.B. 1850 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1850
By: Armbrister
State Affairs
4-26-97
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law privatizes numerous government functions.  Private
companies receiving government money to perform government functions are
not required to make those records available to the public.  C.S.S.B. 1850
would require private companies receiving government money to perform
government functions to make those records available to the public and at
a reasonable cost. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1850 outlines provisions regarding the requirement
of public disclosure of information by the governing bodies of entities
that are parties to certain contracts with the state. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 552.003, Government Code, to redefine
"governmental body" and define "certain public functions or services."
Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 552.021, Government Code, to set forth
provisions regarding the availability of public information.  Makes a
conforming change. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1997.
  Makes application of this Act prospective to September 4, 1997.

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Amends proposed relating clause.

SECTION 1.

Amends Section 552.003, Government Code, to redefine "governmental body"
and define "certain public functions or services."  Deletes the definition
of "governmental function." 

SECTION 2.

Amends Section 552.021, Government Code, regarding the availability of
public information. 






 SECTION 3.

Deletes SECTION 3, and renumbers existing SECTIONS regarding the effective
date and the emergency clause.