SRC-ARR S.B. 1043 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1043
By: Wentworth
State Affairs
4/7/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, the threshold amount for requiring a deposit on copy costs under
the Public Information Act is $100. This deposit protects the governmental
entities when a requestor asks that documents be copied, the entity copies
the documents, and the requestor never picks up the copies. This has been a
financial burden on some entities. S.B. 1043 would lower the threshold
deposit for governmental entities that employ 15 or fewer full-time
employees. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1043 regulates the deposit that a governmental body may
require under the open records law before preparing copies of certain
information. 

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 552.263(a), Government Code, to authorize an
officer for public information or the officer's agent to require a deposit
or bond for payment of anticipated costs for the preparation of a copy of
public information if the charge for providing the copy of the public
information specifically requested by the requestor is estimated by the
governmental body to exceed $100, if the governmental body employs more
than 15 full-time employees; or $50, if the governmental body employs 15 or
fewer full-time employees. Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.