BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1086

By: Seliger

Government Transparency & Operation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the online posting of information identifying the taxable receipts of an individual business contained in or derived from a record, report, or other document required to be provided in relation to the hotel occupancy tax results in a burdensome amount of unsolicited vendor communications to such businesses. SB 1086 seeks to prohibit a state agency from posting such information on a public website, but provides such information is available through an open records request.

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

SB 1086 amends the Tax Code to prohibit a state agency from posting on a public website information identifying the taxable receipts of an individual business that is contained in or derived from a record, report, or other document required to be provided in relation to the hotel occupancy tax. The bill classifies such identifying information as public information if it is collected or maintained by a state agency, requires a state agency to provide access to that information in the manner provided by state public information law, and excludes that information from certain required disclosure exceptions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.