By: Ellis S.B. No. 801 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to electronic access to certain state agency information. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 2001, Government Code, is 1-4 amended by adding Section 2001.006 to read as follows: 1-5 Sec. 2001.006. CERTAIN EXPLANATORY INFORMATION MADE 1-6 AVAILABLE THROUGH INTERNET. (a) A state agency shall make its 1-7 rules and selected written letters, opinions, or other statements 1-8 that explain or interpret one or more of its rules available 1-9 through a generally accessible Internet site. 1-10 (b) A state agency may comply with this section through the 1-11 actions of another agency, such as the secretary of state, on the 1-12 agency's behalf. 1-13 SECTION 2. Section 2054.096, Government Code, is amended to 1-14 read as follows: 1-15 Sec. 2054.096. CONTENT OF AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN. (a) Each 1-16 agency strategic plan must be consistent with the state strategic 1-17 plan and include: 1-18 (1) a statement of the state agency's goals, 1-19 objectives, and programs as found in the agency's legislative 1-20 appropriations request; 1-21 (2) a description of the agency's major data bases and 1-22 their applications; 1-23 (3) a description of the agency's information 1-24 resources management organizations, policies, and practices; 2-1 (4) a description of interagency computer networks in 2-2 which the agency participates; 2-3 (5) a statement of the strategic objectives of the 2-4 agency relating to information resources management for the next 2-5 five fiscal years, beginning with the fiscal year during which the 2-6 plan is submitted, with a description of how those objectives help 2-7 achieve the agency's programs and goals, and a description of how 2-8 those objectives support and promote the goals and policies of the 2-9 state strategic plan; and 2-10 (6) other planning components that the department may 2-11 prescribe. 2-12 (b) Each state agency that receives information from members 2-13 of the public or from regulated persons by means of a form or that 2-14 receives payments of money from members of the public or from 2-15 regulated persons must also include in its strategic plan a plan 2-16 for receiving the forms or the payments through the Internet or 2-17 through other electronic means. The department shall assist state 2-18 agencies in developing this portion of the strategic plan. The 2-19 plan must: 2-20 (1) include appropriate security measures that follow 2-21 guidelines established by the department; 2-22 (2) include performance measures that will allow the 2-23 department and the legislature to evaluate the agency's progress in 2-24 implementing the plan; and 2-25 (3) specify the time during which the agency will 2-26 fully implement the plan. 3-1 SECTION 3. Subchapter F, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is 3-2 amended by adding Section 2054.121 to read as follows: 3-3 Sec. 2054.121. LINKING AND INDEXING INTERNET SITES. 3-4 (a) All state agencies that maintain a generally accessible 3-5 Internet site shall cooperate to facilitate useful electronic links 3-6 among the sites. State agencies shall attempt to link their sites 3-7 in such a manner that different sites from which persons can be 3-8 expected to need information concurrently are linked. 3-9 (b) Each state agency that maintains a generally accessible 3-10 Internet site shall establish the site so that the site can be 3-11 located easily through electronic means. 3-12 (c) The department on request shall assist an agency to 3-13 comply with this section. 3-14 SECTION 4. Each state agency shall phase in, in the most 3-15 cost-effective manner and in accordance with available 3-16 appropriations, the changes in law made by this Act that require 3-17 the agency to make information available on the Internet. 3-18 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 3-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-23 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-24 passage, and it is so enacted.