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.