1-1     By:  Shapleigh, Barrientos                             S.B. No. 974
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 1999; March 9, 1999, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
 1-4     April 19, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 19, 1999,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 974                By:  Shapleigh
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to the creation of a task force and demonstration project
1-11     regarding the provision of certain state agency and local
1-12     government services to the general public and to regulated entities
1-13     through the Internet.
1-14           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-15           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 2054, Government Code, is
1-16     amended by adding Section 2054.062 to read as follows:
1-17           Sec. 2054.062.  ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN STATE OR
1-18     LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC; TASK FORCE AND
1-19     DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.  (a)  The department shall establish a task
1-20     force to assess the current and future feasibility of establishing
1-21     a common electronic system using the Internet through which state
1-22     agencies and local governments can electronically:
1-23                 (1)  send documents to members of the public and
1-24     persons who are regulated by a state agency or local government;
1-25                 (2)  receive applications for licenses and permits and
1-26     receive documents for filing from members of the public and persons
1-27     who are regulated by a state agency or local government that, when
1-28     a signature is necessary, can be electronically signed by the
1-29     member of the public or regulated person; and
1-30                 (3)  receive required payments from members of the
1-31     public and persons who are regulated by a state agency or local
1-32     government.
1-33           (b)  The department and the task force shall implement a
1-34     demonstration project showing the extent to which transactions
1-35     described by Subsection (a)  can currently be accomplished.
1-36           (c)  The task force is composed of:
1-37                 (1)  a representative of each of the following state
1-38     officers or agencies:
1-39                       (A)  the secretary of state;
1-40                       (B)  the comptroller;
1-41                       (C)  the Texas Department of Economic
1-42     Development;
1-43                       (D)  the General Services Commission;
1-44                       (E)  the Texas Natural Resource Conservation
1-45     Commission;
1-46                       (F)  the Texas Department of Insurance;
1-47                       (G)  the Public Utility Commission of Texas; and
1-48                       (H)  the department;
1-49                 (2)  representatives of local governments appointed by
1-50     the governor in the number determined by the governor; and
1-51                 (3)  three representatives of businesses that are
1-52     regulated by a state agency or local government, appointed by the
1-53     governor.
1-54           (d)  Chapter 2110 does not apply to the task force.
1-55           (e)  The department shall report the findings of the task
1-56     force and the results of the demonstration project to the presiding
1-57     officer of each house of the legislature and to the chairs of the
1-58     committees of each house of the legislature that have primary
1-59     oversight jurisdiction over the department not later than November
1-60     1, 2000.
1-61           (f)  The task force is abolished and this section expires
1-62     September 1, 2001.
1-63           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-64           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
 2-5                                  * * * * *