1-1 By: Harris S.B. No. 1367 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 1999; March 15, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Administration; 1-4 March 24, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 5, 1-5 Nays 0; March 24, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to legislative access to information. 1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-10 SECTION 1. Section 552.264, Government Code, is amended to 1-11 read as follows: 1-12 Sec. 552.264. COPY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTED BY MEMBER 1-13 OF LEGISLATURE. One copy of public information that is requested 1-14 from a state agency by a member, agency, or committee of the 1-15 legislature under Section 552.008 shall be provided without charge. 1-16 SECTION 2. Chapter 323, Government Code, is amended by 1-17 adding Section 323.019 to read as follows: 1-18 Sec. 323.019. STATISTICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION AND 1-19 STUDIES. (a) The council may gather and analyze information 1-20 relating to public education and other public services for the 1-21 purpose of conducting statistical and demographic research and 1-22 producing reports. 1-23 (b) State agencies in each branch of government shall 1-24 cooperate with the council in the gathering of information and the 1-25 production of reports under this section and shall provide 1-26 information as requested by the council to the maximum extent 1-27 permitted by state or federal law. 1-28 SECTION 3. Subsection (a), Section 276.008, Election Code, 1-29 is amended to read as follows: 1-30 (a) On the written request of the Texas Legislative Council, 1-31 the secretary of state, a county clerk or county elections 1-32 administrator, a city secretary, or a voter registrar shall provide 1-33 without charge to the council information or data maintained by the 1-34 appropriate officer relating to voter registration, voter turnout, 1-35 election returns for statewide, district, county, precinct, or city 1-36 offices, or county election precincts, including precinct maps. 1-37 SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 6, Tax Code, is amended by 1-38 adding Section 6.14 to read as follows: 1-39 Sec. 6.14. INFORMATION PROVIDED TO TEXAS LEGISLATIVE 1-40 COUNCIL. (a) On the written request of the Texas Legislative 1-41 Council, an appraisal district that maintains its appraisal records 1-42 in electronic format shall provide a copy of the information or 1-43 data maintained in the district's appraisal records to the council 1-44 without charge. 1-45 (b) The appraisal district shall provide the requested 1-46 information or data to the council as soon as practicable but not 1-47 later than the 30th day after the date the request is received by 1-48 the district. 1-49 (c) The information or data shall be provided in a form 1-50 approved by the council. 1-51 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 1-52 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-53 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-54 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-55 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-56 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-57 passage, and it is so enacted. 1-58 * * * * *