By Harris S.B. No. 1367 76R9309 SRC-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to legislative access to information. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 552.264, Government Code, is amended to 1-5 read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 552.264. COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTED BY MEMBER 1-7 OF LEGISLATURE. One copy of public information that is requested 1-8 from a state agency by a member, agency, or committee of the 1-9 legislature under Section 552.008 shall be provided without charge. 1-10 SECTION 2. Chapter 323, Government Code, is amended by 1-11 adding Section 323.019 to read as follows: 1-12 Sec. 323.019. STATISTICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND 1-13 STUDIES. (a) The council may gather and analyze information 1-14 relating to public education and other public services for the 1-15 purpose of conducting statistical and demographic research and 1-16 producing reports. 1-17 (b) State agencies in each branch of government shall 1-18 cooperate with the council in the gathering of information and the 1-19 production of reports under this section and shall provide 1-20 information as requested by the council to the maximum extent 1-21 permitted by state or federal law. 1-22 SECTION 3. Section 276.008(a), Election Code, is amended to 1-23 read as follows: 1-24 (a) On the written request of the Texas Legislative Council, 2-1 the secretary of state, a county clerk or county elections 2-2 administrator, a city secretary, or a voter registrar shall provide 2-3 without charge to the council information or data maintained by the 2-4 appropriate officer relating to voter registration, voter turnout, 2-5 election returns for statewide, district, county, precinct, or city 2-6 offices, or county election precincts, including precinct maps. 2-7 SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 6, Tax Code, is amended by 2-8 adding Section 6.14 to read as follows: 2-9 Sec. 6.14. INFORMATION PROVIDED TO TEXAS LEGISLATIVE 2-10 COUNCIL. (a) On the written request of the Texas Legislative 2-11 Council, an appraisal district that maintains its appraisal records 2-12 in electronic format shall provide a copy of the information or 2-13 data maintained in the district's appraisal records to the council 2-14 without charge. 2-15 (b) The appraisal district shall provide the requested 2-16 information or data to the council as soon as practicable but not 2-17 later than the 30th day after the date the request is received by 2-18 the district. 2-19 (c) The information or data shall be provided in a form 2-20 approved by the council. 2-21 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 2-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-25 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-26 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-27 passage, and it is so enacted.