By Shapleigh                                           S.B. No. 974
         76R7191 JRD-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the creation of a task force and demonstration project
 1-3     regarding the provision of certain state agency and local
 1-4     government services to the general public and to regulated entities
 1-5     through the Internet.
 1-6           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-7           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is
 1-8     amended by adding Section 2054.062 to read as follows:
 1-9           Sec. 2054.062.  ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN STATE OR
1-10     LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC; TASK FORCE AND
1-11     DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.  (a)  The department shall establish a task
1-12     force to assess the current and future feasibility of establishing
1-13     a common electronic system using the Internet through which state
1-14     agencies and local governments can electronically:
1-15                 (1)  send documents to members of the public and
1-16     persons who are regulated by a state agency or local government;
1-17                 (2)  receive applications for licenses and permits and
1-18     receive documents for filing from members of the public and persons
1-19     who are regulated by a state agency or local government that, when
1-20     a signature is necessary, can be electronically signed by the
1-21     member of the public or regulated person; and
1-22                 (3)  receive required payments from members of the
1-23     public and persons who are regulated by a state agency or local
1-24     government.
 2-1           (b)  The department and the task force shall implement a
 2-2     demonstration project showing the extent to which transactions
 2-3     described by Subsection (a)  can currently be accomplished.
 2-4           (c)  The task force is composed of:
 2-5                 (1)  a representative of each of the following state
 2-6     officers or agencies:
 2-7                       (A)  the secretary of state;
 2-8                       (B)  the comptroller;
 2-9                       (C)  the Texas Department of Economic
2-10     Development;
2-11                       (D)  the General Services Commission;
2-12                       (E)  the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
2-13     Commission;
2-14                       (F)  the Texas Department of Insurance;
2-15                       (G)  the Public Utility Commission of Texas; and
2-16                       (H)  the department;
2-17                 (2)  representatives of local governments appointed by
2-18     the department in the number determined by the department; and
2-19                 (3)  three representatives of businesses that are
2-20     regulated by a state agency or local government, appointed by the
2-21     department.
2-22           (d)  Chapter 2110 does not apply to the task force.
2-23           (e)  The department shall report the findings of the task
2-24     force and the results of the demonstration project to the presiding
2-25     officer of each house of the legislature and to the chairs of the
2-26     committees of each house of the legislature that have primary
2-27     oversight jurisdiction over the department not later than November
 3-1     1, 2000.
 3-2           (f)  The task force is abolished and this section expires
 3-3     September 1, 2001.
 3-4           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 3-5           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 3-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 3-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 3-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.