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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to information included in a searchable state revenue and |
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expenditure database maintained by the comptroller. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 403.024, Government Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 403.024. SEARCHABLE STATE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE |
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DATABASE. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 403.024(b), (c), (d), (e), (g), and |
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(h), Government Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The comptroller shall establish and post on the Internet |
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a database of state revenues and expenditures, including contracts |
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and grants, that is electronically searchable by the public except |
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as provided by Subsection (d). The database must include: |
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(1) the amount, date, payor, and payee of |
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expenditures; [and] |
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(2) a listing of state expenditures by: |
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(A) object of expense with links to the warrant |
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or check register level; [and] |
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(B) to the extent maintained by state agency |
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accounting systems in a reportable format, class and item levels; |
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(C) category of expenditure; and |
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(D) county in which the state expenditure is |
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made; |
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(3) the amount, date, and payor of state revenue; |
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(4) a listing of state revenues by: |
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(A) source; |
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(B) object; |
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(C) category of revenue; and |
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(D) county in which the revenue is collected; and |
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(5) a description of each category and object of |
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revenue or expenditure. |
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(c) To the extent possible, the comptroller shall present |
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information in the database established under this section in a |
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manner that is searchable and intuitive to users. The comptroller |
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shall enhance and organize the presentation of the information |
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through the use of graphical representations, such as pie charts, |
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as the comptroller considers appropriate. At a minimum, the |
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database must allow users to: |
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(1) search and aggregate state revenues and |
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expenditures [funding] by any element of the information, including |
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a search by the county in which: |
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(A) the state expenditure is made; and |
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(B) the state revenue is collected; |
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(2) ascertain through a single search: |
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(A) the total amount of state funding awarded to |
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a person by a state agency; |
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(B) the amount of state revenue collected in each |
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county; and |
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(C) the amount of state expenditures in each |
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county; and |
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(3) without additional authorization from the state, |
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download and reproduce information yielded by a search of the |
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database with a citation to the database, the date the database was |
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last updated, and the date the information was downloaded included |
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in the downloaded information. |
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(d) The comptroller may not allow public access under this |
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section to a payee's address, except that the comptroller may allow |
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public access under this section to information identifying the |
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county in which the payor or payee is located. The comptroller may |
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not allow public access under this section to information that is |
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identified by a state agency or county as excepted from required |
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disclosure under Chapter 552 or as confidential. It is an exception |
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to the application of Section 552.352(a) that the comptroller or an |
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officer or employee of the comptroller's office posted information |
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under this section in reliance on a determination made by a state |
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agency or county about the confidentiality of information relating |
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to the agency's or county's revenues or expenditures. The |
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comptroller or an officer or employee of the comptroller's office |
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is immune from any civil liability for posting confidential |
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information under this section if the comptroller, officer, or |
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employee posted the information in reliance on a determination made |
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by a state agency or county about the confidentiality of |
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information relating to the agency's or county's revenues or |
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expenditures. |
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(e) To the extent any information required to be in the |
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database is already being collected or maintained by a state agency |
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or county, the state agency or county shall provide that |
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information to the comptroller for inclusion in the database. |
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(g) Except as provided by Subsection (h), a state agency or |
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county is required to cooperate with and provide information to the |
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comptroller as necessary to implement and administer this section. |
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(h) This section does not require a state agency or county |
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to record information or expend resources for the purpose of |
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computer programming or other additional actions necessary to make |
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information reportable under this section. |
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SECTION 3. The comptroller of public accounts shall modify |
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the Internet database established under Section 403.024, |
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Government Code, as necessary to conform to the requirements of |
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that section, as amended by this Act, not later than January 1, |
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2012. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |