SRC-DPW S.B. 1044 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1044
By: Wentworth
State Affairs
4/7/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law allows governmental entities to charge for personnel
costs incurred in retrieving records located in a "separate building" or in
a "remote storage facility."  The Senate Interim Committee on Public
Information received testimony that requestors have been charged personnel
time to retrieve documents that may be technically in separate buildings
but may be connected.  This bill would clarify the definition of a
"separate building" in the Public Information Act. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1044 set forth fees governmental bodies are required to
charge for providing copies of public information. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION Amends Section 552.261, Government Code, by amending Subsection (a)
and adding Subsection (c), to require a charge for providing copies of
public information to be limited to photocopying costs for pages located in
separate buildings that are not physically connected with each other,
rather than in more than one building.  Provides that a connection of two
buildings by a sidewalk, passageway, or similar facility, is insufficient
to cause the buildings to be physically connected. Effective date: 90 days
after adjournment.