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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the distribution of state agency publications and |
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reports to members of the legislature, the governor, and other |
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state officials. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter A, Chapter 2052, |
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Government Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER A. REPORTS FOR LEGISLATURE, [OR] GOVERNOR, OR |
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OTHER STATE OFFICIALS |
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SECTION 2. The heading to Section 2052.002, Government |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2052.002. DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLICATIONS TO |
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LEGISLATORS, GOVERNOR, OR STATE OFFICIALS. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 2052.002(a), (b), (c), and (e), |
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Government Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) To avoid waste in the duplication and distribution of |
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state agency publications, a state agency that issues a publication |
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relating to the work of the agency and distributes the publication |
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to members of the legislature, the governor, or other state |
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officials shall send to each member, the governor, and each |
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official, as appropriate, before distributing the publication a |
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written notice to determine whether the member, governor, or |
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official wants to receive the publication. |
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(b) The state agency shall include with the notice: |
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(1) the name of the publication; |
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(2) a brief written summary of the publication; |
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(3) the distribution date of the publication; |
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(4) the manner in which the publication may be |
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obtained electronically; and |
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(5) the manner in which a printed copy of the |
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publication may be requested. |
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(c) A member, the governor, or a state official who elects |
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to receive a printed copy of the publication shall notify the state |
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agency. |
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(e) In this section, "state agency" means: |
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(1) a department, commission, board, office, or other |
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agency that is in the executive or legislative branch of state |
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government and that was created by the constitution or a statute of |
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this state; |
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(2) a university system or institution of higher |
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education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code; or |
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(3) the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, |
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a court of appeals, or the Texas Judicial Council. |
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SECTION 4. The heading to Section 2052.0021, Government |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2052.0021. DISTRIBUTION OF REPORTS TO LEGISLATORS, |
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GOVERNOR, OR STATE OFFICIALS. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 2052.0021(b), (c), (d), and (e), |
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Government Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Notwithstanding other law, a state agency report |
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required by law may be made available to members of the legislature, |
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the governor, or state officials only in accordance with this |
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section. |
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(c) A state agency shall make each report required by law |
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available to members of the legislature, the governor, or other |
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state officials, as appropriate. The report must be in an |
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electronic format determined by the Texas Legislative Council. The |
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agency on request shall promptly send a suitable printed copy of the |
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report to a member, the governor, or a state official [of the
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legislature at the request of the member]. |
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(d) At the time a report required by law is ready for |
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distribution outside the state agency, the agency shall send |
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written notice that the report is available to each member of the |
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legislature, the governor, and each state official required by law |
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to receive the report [that the report is available]. The agency |
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shall send the notice by mail or, if it is acceptable to the member, |
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governor, or official, electronically. The notice must briefly |
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describe the subject matter of the report and state: |
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(1) the manner in which the member, governor, or |
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official may obtain the report electronically; and |
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(2) that the agency on request will send a printed copy |
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of the report to the member, governor, or official [at the request
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of the member]. |
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(e) This section does not affect the duty of a state agency |
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to directly send a printed copy of a report to an officer or |
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committee of the legislature, the governor, or a state official if |
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other law specifically requires that a printed copy of the report be |
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sent to the [that] officer, [or] committee, governor, or state |
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official, and the agency is not required to comply with this section |
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before sending the report to the [that] officer, [or] committee, |
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governor, or state official. |
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SECTION 6. Section 2052.002(d), Government Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 7. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a report or publication distributed by a state agency on or after |
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the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |