By Ellis S.B. No. 801 76R3463 JRD-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to electronic access to certain state agency information. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 2001, Government Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Section 2001.006 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 2001.006. CERTAIN EXPLANATORY INFORMATION MADE AVAILABLE 1-7 THROUGH INTERNET. (a) A state agency shall make its rules and 1-8 each written letter, opinion, or other statement that explains or 1-9 interprets one or more of its rules available through a generally 1-10 accessible Internet site. 1-11 (b) A state agency may comply with this section through the 1-12 actions of another agency, such as the secretary of state, on the 1-13 agency's behalf. 1-14 SECTION 2. Section 2054.096, Government Code, is amended to 1-15 read as follows: 1-16 Sec. 2054.096. CONTENT OF AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN. (a) Each 1-17 agency strategic plan must be consistent with the state strategic 1-18 plan and include: 1-19 (1) a statement of the state agency's goals, 1-20 objectives, and programs as found in the agency's legislative 1-21 appropriations request; 1-22 (2) a description of the agency's major data bases and 1-23 their applications; 1-24 (3) a description of the agency's information 2-1 resources management organizations, policies, and practices; 2-2 (4) a description of interagency computer networks in 2-3 which the agency participates; 2-4 (5) a statement of the strategic objectives of the 2-5 agency relating to information resources management for the next 2-6 five fiscal years, beginning with the fiscal year during which the 2-7 plan is submitted, with a description of how those objectives help 2-8 achieve the agency's programs and goals, and a description of how 2-9 those objectives support and promote the goals and policies of the 2-10 state strategic plan; and 2-11 (6) other planning components that the department may 2-12 prescribe. 2-13 (b) Each state agency that receives information from members 2-14 of the public or from regulated persons by means of a form or that 2-15 receives payments of money from members of the public or from 2-16 regulated persons must also include in its strategic plan a plan 2-17 for receiving the forms or the payments through the Internet. The 2-18 department shall assist state agencies in developing this portion 2-19 of the strategic plan. The plan must: 2-20 (1) include appropriate security measures approved by 2-21 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. 2-27 SECTION 3. Subchapter F, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is 3-1 amended by adding Section 2054.121 to read as follows: 3-2 Sec. 2054.121. LINKING AND INDEXING INTERNET SITES. (a) 3-3 All state agencies that maintain a generally accessible Internet 3-4 site shall cooperate to facilitate useful electronic links among 3-5 the sites. State agencies shall attempt to link their sites in such 3-6 a manner that different sites from which persons can be expected to 3-7 need information concurrently are linked. 3-8 (b) Each state agency that maintains a generally accessible 3-9 Internet site shall establish the site so that the site can be 3-10 located easily through electronic means. 3-11 (c) The department on request shall assist an agency to 3-12 comply with this section. 3-13 SECTION 4. Each state agency shall phase in, in the most 3-14 cost-effective manner and in accordance with available 3-15 appropriations, the changes in law made by this Act that require 3-16 the agency to make information available on the Internet. 3-17 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 3-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-22 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-23 passage, and it is so enacted.