LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 27, 2009

TO:	Honorable Burt R. Solomons, Chair, House Committee on State Affairs
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB4140 by Homer (Relating to a bulk data request for information under the public information law.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Government Code to define a bulk data request as a request involving 100 copies or more. The bill would allow a governmental entity to choose the medium to produce a bulk data request, regardless of the requested medium or the medium that the public information is maintained, and would set a maximum charge of 20 cents per page for information included in a request.

The agencies contacted indicate that this bill would not have a significant fiscal impact.

Local Government Impact

The costs to a local governmental entity associated with a bulk request for data would likely be offset by the fee for providing copies of the data.

Source Agencies:

305 General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board, 306 Library & Archives Commission, 307 Secretary of State, 320 Texas Workforce Commission, 360 State Office of Administrative Hearings, 403 Veterans Commission, 452 Department of Licensing and Regulation, 458 Alcoholic Beverage Commission, 473 Public Utility Commission of Texas, 507 Texas Board of Nursing, 515 Board of Pharmacy, 551 Department of Agriculture, 697 Board of Pardons and Paroles, 701 Central Education Agency, 771 School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 772 School for the Deaf, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board

LBB Staff:

JOB, KJG, PJK, TP