BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2947

By: Coleman

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Observers note that there are certain exceptions to the disclosure of audit working papers of certain public entities under the state's public information law but that the exception does not include a hospital district.  H.B. 2947 seeks to remedy this problem by establishing provisions relating to the exception of an audit working paper of a hospital district from required disclosure under the public information law in order to protect information provided by a hospital district to an auditor from disclosure. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2947 amends the Government Code to except an audit working paper of an audit of the auditor of a hospital district, in addition to certain other entities, from the requirements of a provision establishing that public information is available to the public at a minimum during the normal business hours of a governmental body.  The bill makes the change in law made by the bill's provisions applicable to an audit working paper created before, on, or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.