LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 13, 2011

TO:	Honorable Jeff Wentworth, Chair, Senate Committee on Open Government, Select
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB669 by Wentworth (Relating to requests to inspect or be provided with copies of information under the public information law.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend Government Code related to the Public Information Act by adding to the definition of manipulation to include a search of one or more e-mail or text message accounts and the transfer of related information to a paper, or other, format that can be inspected by the requestor. The bill would clarify the timeline for communications between a governmental entity and a requestor pertaining to requests that will result in a charge greater than $40. The bill would clarify that a request modification submitted in response to a deposit or bond be considered a separate request.

This analysis assumes that any costs resulting from implementation of the bill's provisions can be met within existing resources.

The bill would apply only to a request received by a governmental body on or after the effective date. The bill would take effect September 1, 2011.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

302 Office of the Attorney General, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 307 Secretary of State, 356 Texas Ethics Commission

LBB Staff:

JOB, JT, JI, KY, KKR