By: Nelson  S.B. No. 79
         (In the Senate - Filed November 14, 2016; January 24, 2017,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
  March 15, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9,
  Nays 0; March 15, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the production of public information available on a
  publicly accessible website.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 552.221(b-1) and (b-2), Government
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (b-1)  In addition to the methods of production described by
  Subsection (b), an officer for public information for a
  governmental body [political subdivision of this state] complies
  with Subsection (a) by referring a requestor to an exact Internet
  location or uniform resource locator (URL) address on a website
  maintained by the governmental body [political subdivision] and
  accessible to the public if the requested information is
  identifiable and readily available on that website.  If the person
  requesting the information prefers a manner other than access
  through the URL, the governmental body [political subdivision] must
  supply the information in the manner required by Subsection (b).
         (b-2)  If an officer for public information for a
  governmental body [political subdivision] provides by e-mail an
  Internet location or uniform resource locator (URL) address as
  permitted by Subsection (b-1), the e-mail must contain a statement
  in a conspicuous font clearly indicating that the requestor may
  nonetheless access the requested information by inspection or
  duplication or by receipt through United States mail, as provided
  by Subsection (b).
         SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  a request for information that is received by a governmental body or
  an officer for public information on or after the effective date of
  this Act. A request for information that was received before the
  effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
  date the request was received, and the former law is continued in
  effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
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