SRC-JBJ H.B. 2589 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2589
77R11195 MTB-DBy: Hochberg (Wentworth)
State Affairs
4/30/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

State agencies with budgets exceeding a certain amount are required to
maintain a generally accessible Internet site.  In addition to specified
information, such as budget, rules, and contracts, many sites also include
commonly requested information such as hearing announcements, program
descriptions, or publications.  Currently there is no requirement for a
state agency to post a notice stipulating the conditions of use for
information copied from a state agency Internet site.  H.B. 2589 requires
the Department of Information Resources to create a terms of service
statement for state agency Internet sites.  

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 Section 2054.121, Government Code, as added by Section
1, Chapter 1573, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is
amended to read as follows: 

Sec. 2054.121.  REQUIRED POSTING OF INFORMATION ON INTERNET.  (a) Requires
the Department of Information Resources (department) to adopt a policy that
meets certain criteria. 

(b)  Requires the department to post the policy on its Internet site.
Requires a state agency to prominently post a link to the policy statement
on a generally accessible Internet site maintained by or for the agency. 

  (c)  Requires the policy to include certain statements.

Redesignates existing text of Section 2054.121, Government Code, as Section
2054.121(d), Government Code. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 552C, Government Code, by adding Section
552.136, as follows: 

Sec. 552.136.  CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN E-MAIL ADDRESSES.  (a)  Provides
that an e-mail address of a member of the public that is provided for the
purpose of communicating electronically with a governmental body is
confidential and not subject to disclosure under this chapter. 

(b)  Authorizes confidential information described by this section that
relates to a member of the public to be disclosed if the member of the
public affirmatively consents to its release.  
 
SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.