SRC-JJJ H.B. 2835 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterH.B. 2835
76R6109 JRD-DBy: Turner, Sylvester (Shapleigh)
State Affairs
5/12/1999
Committee Report (Amended)

DIGEST 

There is no provision under current law requiring state agencies to post on
the Internet uniform information about the agency.  The purpose of this
bill is to provide the public with greater access to information about
state agencies.  H.B. 2835 would require a state agency with a budget
exceeding $175 million to post on its Internet website specified
information regarding its expenditures, governing body, contracts, duties,
and links to its rules and hearing procedures. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 2835 sets forth the information that certain state
agencies must post on the Internet. 

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 Chapter 2054F, Government Code, by adding Section
2054.121, as follows: 

Sec. 2054.121.  REQUIRED POSTING OF INFORMATION ON INTERNET.  Requires each
state agency, other than an institution of higher education, that receives
an aggregate amount of appropriations in the General Appropriations Act for
a state fiscal biennium that exceeds $175 million to post certain
information regarding the agency during the biennium on a generally
accessible Internet site maintained by or for the agency.    

SECTION 2.  Effective date: October 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.  

Amends Section 2054.121, Government Code, to require each state agency,
other than an institution of higher education, that receives an aggregate
amount of appropriations that exceeds a certain amount to post on an
Internet site information including a listing and description of all
contracts with vendors that have a value exceeding $100,000, rather than
the proposed $15,000, that the agency has entered into and that are
currently being performed or for which the performance has not yet begun.