SRC-JBJ H.B. 1476 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 1476 77R5946 JJT-DBy: Chisum (Shapleigh) State Affairs 5/8/2001 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE The 76th Legislature authorized the Electronic Government Task Force to create the TexasOnline Internet portal (Internet portal) to provide a single point of access to electronic government services in Texas for citizens and businesses. Currently, the portal has information links to business, education, and health sites, but no single, organized information resource on issues related to environmental protection and quality or to the development, conservation, or preservation of natural resources. H.B. 1476 requires state agencies with jurisdiction over environmental and natural resource matters, in mutual cooperation with the Department of Information Resources, to develop a single information link, through the Internet portal, to provide access to information on certain natural resource and environmental issues. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 2054F, Government Code, by adding Section 2054.127, as follows: Sec. 2054.127. ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCIES INTERNET PORTAL. (a) Requires state agencies that have jurisdiction over matters related to environmental protection or quality or to the development, conservation, or preservation of natural resources, to develop, in mutual cooperation with the Department of Information Resources (department), a single information link, through the TexasOnline portal, to provide electronic access to information and services related to the agencies' authority and duties, including access to agency rules and other public information. (b) Requires the department to coordinate the efforts of the agencies in developing the information link to ensure that the efforts produce a link that is compatible with efforts of the task force conducted under Section 2054.062. Authorizes the department, if the department has a program management office, to delegate the coordination of efforts under this section to that office. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.