SRC-AXB S.B. 277 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 277
76R648  JD-DBy: Carona
State Affairs
2/25/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, the attorney general is required to render a decision requested
under the open records law within 60 days.  This time limit can be extended
an additional 20 days by informing the requestor and the governmental body
within the original 60 days.  S.B. 277 requires the attorney general to
render decisions requested under the open records law within 20 days, and
allows only a 10-day extension. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 277  reduces the amount of time within which the attorney
general is required to make a decision in an open records request.  

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 552.306(a), Government Code, to reduce the
number of days within which the attorney general is required to render a
decision from 60 to 20, and also provides that the extension days are
reduced from 20 to 10. 

SECTION 2.Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.
  Effective date:  90 days after adjournment.