1-1 By: Ellis S.B. No. 801 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 2, 1999; March 3, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; 1-4 March 29, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 29, 1999, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 801 By: Cain 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to electronic access to certain state agency information. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 2001, Government Code, is 1-13 amended by adding Section 2001.006 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 2001.006. CERTAIN EXPLANATORY INFORMATION MADE 1-15 AVAILABLE THROUGH INTERNET. (a) A state agency shall make its 1-16 rules and selected written letters, opinions, or other statements 1-17 that explain or interpret one or more of its rules available 1-18 through a generally accessible Internet site. 1-19 (b) A state agency may comply with this section through the 1-20 actions of another agency, such as the secretary of state, on the 1-21 agency's behalf. 1-22 SECTION 2. Section 2054.096, Government Code, is amended to 1-23 read as follows: 1-24 Sec. 2054.096. CONTENT OF AGENCY STRATEGIC PLAN. (a) Each 1-25 agency strategic plan must be consistent with the state strategic 1-26 plan and include: 1-27 (1) a statement of the state agency's goals, 1-28 objectives, and programs as found in the agency's legislative 1-29 appropriations request; 1-30 (2) a description of the agency's major data bases and 1-31 their applications; 1-32 (3) a description of the agency's information 1-33 resources management organizations, policies, and practices; 1-34 (4) a description of interagency computer networks in 1-35 which the agency participates; 1-36 (5) a statement of the strategic objectives of the 1-37 agency relating to information resources management for the next 1-38 five fiscal years, beginning with the fiscal year during which the 1-39 plan is submitted, with a description of how those objectives help 1-40 achieve the agency's programs and goals, and a description of how 1-41 those objectives support and promote the goals and policies of the 1-42 state strategic plan; and 1-43 (6) other planning components that the department may 1-44 prescribe. 1-45 (b) Each state agency that receives information from members 1-46 of the public or from regulated persons by means of a form or that 1-47 receives payments of money from members of the public or from 1-48 regulated persons must also include in its strategic plan a plan 1-49 for receiving the forms or the payments through the Internet or 1-50 through other electronic means. The department shall assist state 1-51 agencies in developing this portion of the strategic plan. The 1-52 plan must: 1-53 (1) include appropriate security measures that follow 1-54 guidelines established by the department; 1-55 (2) include performance measures that will allow the 1-56 department and the legislature to evaluate the agency's progress in 1-57 implementing the plan; and 1-58 (3) specify the time during which the agency will 1-59 fully implement the plan. 1-60 SECTION 3. Subchapter F, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is 1-61 amended by adding Section 2054.121 to read as follows: 1-62 Sec. 2054.121. LINKING AND INDEXING INTERNET SITES. 1-63 (a) All state agencies that maintain a generally accessible 1-64 Internet site shall cooperate to facilitate useful electronic links 2-1 among the sites. State agencies shall attempt to link their sites 2-2 in such a manner that different sites from which persons can be 2-3 expected to need information concurrently are linked. 2-4 (b) Each state agency that maintains a generally accessible 2-5 Internet site shall establish the site so that the site can be 2-6 located easily through electronic means. 2-7 (c) The department on request shall assist an agency to 2-8 comply with this section. 2-9 SECTION 4. Each state agency shall phase in, in the most 2-10 cost-effective manner and in accordance with available 2-11 appropriations, the changes in law made by this Act that require 2-12 the agency to make information available on the Internet. 2-13 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 2-14 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-15 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-16 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-17 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-18 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-19 passage, and it is so enacted. 2-20 * * * * *