BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1844

By: Zaffirini

Government Transparency & Operation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the lack of data coordination and transparency across state agencies limits opportunities for informed decision making. These parties believe that streamlining government and making it more efficient is critical to serving the needs of Texans. S.B. 1844 seeks to establish the Interagency Data Transparency Commission to study this issue.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

S.B. 1844 amends the Government Code to establish the Interagency Data Transparency Commission to study and review the current public data structure, classification, sharing, and reporting protocols for state agencies and the possibility of collecting and posting data from state agencies online in an open source format that is machine-readable, exportable, and easily accessible by the public and to set out the methods the commission is required to consider in   the study relating to meeting the commission's purpose. The bill requires the commission, not later than September 1, 2016, to provide to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives a final report on data reporting practices by state agencies and sets out the required contents of the report. The bill requires the commission to provide any additional reports requested by the governor, lieutenant governor, or speaker of the house of representatives.

S.B. 1844 provides for the membership of the commission, specifies that a commission member is not entitled to reimbursement of expenses or to compensation, and requires a vacancy on the commission to be filled as soon as practicable in the same manner as the original appointment. The bill requires the comptroller of public accounts or a state agency with a representative on the commission to provide any assistance the commission requires to perform the commission's duties. The bill requires each appointing official to appoint members to the commission not later than December 31, 2015, and requires the commission to meet not later than the 30th day after the date the final initial appointment is made and to continue to meet regularly as necessary at the call of the presiding officer.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2015.