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.