LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas
 
OPEN GOVERNMENT IMPACT STATEMENT
 
79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION
 
April 18, 2005

TO:
Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Jurisprudence
 
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
 
IN RE:
SB503 by West, Royce (Relating to making the award of an arbitration an open record.), As Introduced

As a result of this bill there will be no significant restriction upon:

(1) the open records law;
(2) the open meetings law;
(3) the access to government information; or
(4) the ability of the citizens of Texas to transact public business.

The bill would amend the Civil Practices and Remedies Code to make arbitration awards open records.  The bill would mandate an award filing system at the Office of Court Administration and would presume all filed awards to be open records.  The bill allows for the sealing of awards if the requirements of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 76a, are met.  However, because Government Code Section 551.101 expressly excepts information deemed confidential by judicial decision from the disclosure requirements of the Public Information Act, no restriction to open government laws is anticipated.


Source Agencies:
LBB Staff:
JOB, VDS, AM