By: Strama, Hughes, Van Arsdale, Garcia, H.B. No. 3430

Paxton, et al.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the online availability of information about state expenditures, including the creation of a state database containing information on state expenditures and to certain comptroller reports.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 403.024 to read as follows:

Sec. 403.024. SEARCHABLE STATE EXPENDITURE DATABASE. (a) In this section, "state agency" has the meaning assigned by Section 403.013.

(b) The comptroller shall establish and post on the Internet a database of state expenditures, including contracts and grants, that is electronically searchable by the public except as provided by Subsection (d). The database must include:

(1) the amount, date, payor, and payee of expenditures; and

(2) a listing of state expenditures by:

(A) object of expense with links to the warrant or check register level; and

(B) to the extent maintained by state agency accounting systems in a reportable format, class and item levels.

(c) To the extent possible, the comptroller shall present information in the database established under this section in a manner that is searchable and intuitive to users. The comptroller shall enhance and organize the presentation of the information through the use of graphical representations, such as pie charts, as the comptroller considers appropriate. At a minimum, the database must allow users to:

(1) search and aggregate state funding by any element of the information;

(2) ascertain through a single search the total amount of state funding awarded to a person by a state agency; and

(3) download information yielded by a search of the database.

(d) The comptroller may not allow public access under this section to a payee's address, except that the comptroller may allow public access under this section to information identifying the county in which the payee is located. The comptroller may not allow public access under this section to information that is identified by a state agency as excepted from required disclosure under Chapter 552 or as confidential. It is an exception to the application of Section 552.352(a) that the comptroller or an officer or employee of the comptroller's office posted information under this section in reliance on a determination made by a state agency about the confidentiality of information relating to the agency's expenditures. The comptroller or an officer or employee of the comptroller's office is immune from any civil liability for posting confidential information under this section if the comptroller, officer, or employee posted the information in reliance on a determination made by a state agency about the confidentiality of information relating to the agency's expenditures.

(e) To the extent any information required to be in the database is already being collected or maintained by a state agency, the state agency shall provide that information to the comptroller for inclusion in the database.

(f) The comptroller may not charge a fee to the public to access the database.

(g) A state agency is required to cooperate with and provide information to the comptroller as necessary to implement and administer this section.

(h) The Department of Information Resources, after consultation with the comptroller, shall prominently include a link to the database established under this section on the public home page of the TexasOnline Project described by Section 2054.252.

(i) The comptroller may establish procedures and adopt rules to implement this section.

SECTION 2. Section 2054.126, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

(f) Each state agency that maintains a generally accessible Internet site or for which a generally accessible Internet site is maintained shall include a link on the agency's Internet site to the state expenditure database established under Section 403.024. In this subsection, "state agency" has the meaning assigned by Section 403.013.

SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 313, Tax Code, is amended by adding Section 313.008 to read as follows:

Sec. 313.008. REPORT ON COMPLIANCE WITH AGREEMENTS. (a) Before the beginning of each regular session of the legislature, the comptroller shall submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each member of the legislature, a report on each agreement entered into under this chapter. The report must state for each agreement:

(1) the number of qualifying jobs each recipient of a limitation on appraised value committed to create;

(2) the number of qualifying jobs each recipient created;

(3) the median wage of the new jobs each recipient created;

(4) the amount of the qualified investment each recipient committed to expend or allocate per project;

(5) the amount of the qualified investment each recipient expended or allocated per project;

(6) the market value of the qualified property of each recipient;

(7) the limitation on appraised value for the qualified property of each recipient;

(8) the dollar amount of the ad valorem taxes that would have been imposed on the market value of the qualified property;

(9) the dollar amount of the ad valorem taxes imposed on the qualified property;

(10) the number of new jobs created by each recipient in each sector of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS); and

(11) of the number of new jobs each recipient created, the number of positions created that provide health benefits for employees.

(b) The report may not include information that is made confidential by law.

(c) The comptroller may require a recipient to submit, on a form provided by the comptroller, information required to complete the report.

SECTION 4. Sections 403.024 and 2054.126(f), Government Code, as added by this Act, apply only to expenditures made on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 5. Not later than October 1, 2007, the comptroller shall establish the database as required by Section 403.024, Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect October 1, 2007.