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 * * * * *