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
1-7 available through a generally accessible Internet site:
1-8 (1) the text of its rules; and
1-9 (2) any material, such as a letter, opinion, or
1-10 compliance manual, that explains or interprets one or more of its
1-11 rules and that the agency has issued for general distribution to
1-12 persons affected by one or more of its rules.
1-13 (b) A state agency shall design the generally accessible
1-14 Internet site so that a member of the public may send questions
1-15 about the agency's rules to the agency electronically and receive
1-16 responses to the questions from the agency electronically. If the
1-17 agency's rules and the agency's explanatory and interpretive
1-18 materials are made available at different Internet sites, both
1-19 sites shall be designed in compliance with this subsection.
1-20 (c) A state agency shall design the generally accessible
1-21 Internet site so that it conforms to generally acceptable standards
1-22 for Internet accessibility for people with disabilities.
1-23 (d) A state agency may comply with this section through the
1-24 actions of another agency, such as the secretary of state, on the
2-1 agency's behalf.
2-2 SECTION 2. Section 2054.096, Government Code, is amended to
2-3 read as follows:
2-4 Sec. 2054.096. CONTENT OF AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN. (a) Each
2-5 agency strategic plan must be consistent with the state strategic
2-6 plan and include:
2-7 (1) a statement of the state agency's goals,
2-8 objectives, and programs as found in the agency's legislative
2-9 appropriations request;
2-10 (2) a description of the agency's major data bases and
2-11 their applications;
2-12 (3) a description of the agency's information
2-13 resources management organizations, policies, and practices;
2-14 (4) a description of interagency computer networks in
2-15 which the agency participates;
2-16 (5) a statement of the strategic objectives of the
2-17 agency relating to information resources management for the next
2-18 five fiscal years, beginning with the fiscal year during which the
2-19 plan is submitted, with a description of how those objectives help
2-20 achieve the agency's programs and goals, and a description of how
2-21 those objectives support and promote the goals and policies of the
2-22 state strategic plan; and
2-23 (6) other planning components that the department may
2-24 prescribe.
2-25 (b) Each state agency that receives information from members
2-26 of the public or from regulated persons by means of a form or that
3-1 receives payments of money from members of the public or from
3-2 regulated persons must also include in its strategic plan a plan
3-3 for receiving the forms or the payments through the Internet or
3-4 through other electronic means. The department shall assist state
3-5 agencies in developing this portion of the strategic plan. The
3-6 plan must:
3-7 (1) include appropriate security measures that follow
3-8 guidelines established by the department;
3-9 (2) include performance measures that will allow the
3-10 department and the legislature to evaluate the agency's progress in
3-11 implementing the plan; and
3-12 (3) specify the time during which the agency will
3-13 fully implement the plan.
3-14 SECTION 3. Subchapter F, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is
3-15 amended by adding Section 2054.121 to read as follows:
3-16 Sec. 2054.121. LINKING AND INDEXING INTERNET SITES.
3-17 (a) All state agencies that maintain a generally accessible
3-18 Internet site shall cooperate to facilitate useful electronic links
3-19 among the sites. State agencies shall attempt to link their sites
3-20 in such a manner that different sites from which persons can be
3-21 expected to need information concurrently are linked.
3-22 (b) Each state agency that maintains a generally accessible
3-23 Internet site shall establish the site so that the site can be
3-24 located easily through electronic means.
3-25 (c) The department on request shall assist an agency to
3-26 comply with this section.
4-1 SECTION 4. Each state agency shall phase in, in the most
4-2 cost-effective manner and in accordance with available
4-3 appropriations, the changes in law made by this Act that require
4-4 the agency to make information available on the Internet.
4-5 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
4-6 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-7 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-8 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-9 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-10 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-11 passage, and it is so enacted.
S.B. No. 801
________________________________ ________________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 801 passed the Senate on
April 8, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0;
May 17, 1999, Senate refused to concur in House amendment and
requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 19, 1999, House
granted request of the Senate; May 27, 1999, Senate adopted
Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 30,
Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 801 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 3, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 138,
Nays 0, two present not voting; May 19, 1999, House granted request
of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
May 26, 1999, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, one present not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
________________________________
Date
________________________________
Governor