SRC-ARR C.S.S.B. 1079 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1079
76R13218 JRD-DBy: Shapleigh
State Affairs
4/25/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law does not provide a toll-free number for the attorney
general's office to make a request under the Public Information Act or for
a person whose request for information has received an inadequate response.
C.S.S.B. 1079 would provide a toll-free number to assist members of the
public with information requests by governmental bodies for decisions
regarding exceptions to the Public Information Act. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1079 establishes duties of the attorney general with
regard to the public information law. 

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 552A, Government Code, by adding Section 552.009,
as follows: 

Sec. 552.009. TOLL-FREE NUMBER; ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. Requires the
attorney general to provide a statewide toll-free number by which members
of the public may contact the open records division of the office of the
attorney general. Requires each governmental body to post a notice of a
meeting under Chapter 551. Requires a governmental body that is not subject
to Chapter 551 to post the number at a place convenient to the public in or
by the administrative office of the governmental body. Requires a
governmental body to post with the toll-free number a brief description, to
be prescribed by the attorney general, of the division's function.  

SECTION 2. Amends Section 552.321, Government Code, to authorize a
requestor or the attorney general to file suit for a writ of mandamus
compelling a governmental body to make information available for public
inspection if the governmental body refuses to request an attorney
general's decision as provided by Subchapter G or refuses to supply public
information that is not expected from required disclosure or information. 

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
                      Effective date: upon passage.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1. 

Deletes proposed Section 552.009, Government Code, regarding a public
information advocate within the attorney general's office. Adds new Section
552.009, Government Code, to require the attorney general's office  to
provide a statewide toll-free number.