By: Harris S.B. No. 1367 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to legislative access to information. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Section 552.264, Government Code, is amended to 1-4 read as follows: 1-5 Sec. 552.264. COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTED BY MEMBER 1-6 OF LEGISLATURE. One copy of public information that is requested 1-7 from a state agency by a member, agency, or committee of the 1-8 legislature under Section 552.008 shall be provided without charge. 1-9 SECTION 2. Chapter 323, Government Code, is amended by 1-10 adding Section 323.019 to read as follows: 1-11 Sec. 323.019. STATISTICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND 1-12 STUDIES. (a) The council may gather and analyze information 1-13 relating to public education and other public services for the 1-14 purpose of conducting statistical and demographic research and 1-15 producing reports. 1-16 (b) State agencies in each branch of government shall 1-17 cooperate with the council in the gathering of information and the 1-18 production of reports under this section and shall provide 1-19 information as requested by the council to the maximum extent 1-20 permitted by state or federal law. 1-21 SECTION 3. Subsection (a), Section 276.008, Election Code, 1-22 is amended to read as follows: 1-23 (a) On the written request of the Texas Legislative Council, 1-24 the secretary of state, a county clerk or county elections 2-1 administrator, a city secretary, or a voter registrar shall provide 2-2 without charge to the council information or data maintained by the 2-3 appropriate officer relating to voter registration, voter turnout, 2-4 election returns for statewide, district, county, precinct, or city 2-5 offices, or county election precincts, including precinct maps. 2-6 SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 6, Tax Code, is amended by 2-7 adding Section 6.14 to read as follows: 2-8 Sec. 6.14. INFORMATION PROVIDED TO TEXAS LEGISLATIVE 2-9 COUNCIL. (a) On the written request of the Texas Legislative 2-10 Council, an appraisal district that maintains its appraisal records 2-11 in electronic format shall provide a copy of the information or 2-12 data maintained in the district's appraisal records to the council 2-13 without charge. 2-14 (b) The appraisal district shall provide the requested 2-15 information or data to the council as soon as practicable but not 2-16 later than the 30th day after the date the request is received by 2-17 the district. 2-18 (c) The information or data shall be provided in a form 2-19 approved by the council. 2-20 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 2-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-25 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-26 passage, and it is so enacted.