AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The comptroller of public accounts of the State of Texas maintains a searchable online database of information relating to state expenditures, contracts, and grants. Interested citizens, members of the media, vendors, and state agencies alike are able to use interactive search tools to view various levels of state expenditures. Some of the expenditure categories provide plentiful detail, but the grant category provides few specifics about how the grant recipient used the money. In the interest of greater transparency and accountability, H.B. 1487 seeks to provide the public with more information about how grant money is used.

 

H.B. 1487 amends current law relating to the searchable state expenditure database maintained by the comptroller.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 403.024, Government Code, by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1), as follows:

 

(c)  Requires that a searchable state expenditure database as established and posted on the Internet by the comptroller of public accounts of the State of Texas (comptroller), at a minimum, allow users to:

 

(1)  Makes no change to this subdivision;

 

(2)-(3)  Makes nonsubstantive changes to these subdivisions; and

 

(4)  for a state expenditure in the form of a grant, ascertain the specific purposes for which the grant money was used.

 

(c-1) Provides that Subsection (c)(4) does not apply to information relating to a state expenditure in the form of a grant if the comptroller determines that the state agency that awarded the grant substantially complies with that provision by providing the information to the public through an electronic link on the agency's generally accessible Internet website, or another agency program or database.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2013.