By: Lambert, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Hall) H.B. No. 1962
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 11, 2019;
  April 15, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Business & Commerce; May 20, 2019, reported adversely, with
  favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7,
  Nays 0; May 20, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 1962 By:  Nichols
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas State
  Library and Archives Commission, including the custody and
  ownership of certain state records.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 324, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Sections 324.0085 and 324.0086 to read as follows:
         Sec. 324.0085.  LEGISLATIVE RECORDS. (a)  The library is
  the depository for any record created or received by the office of a
  member of the legislature or the lieutenant governor during that
  official's term of office.
         (b)  The legislative entity that transferred records to the
  library retains ownership and legal custody of those records,
  including records placed in a depository outside the library. The
  legislative entity may retrieve the records for the legislature's
  use. The director and library employees shall assist the
  legislative entity with retrieval of the records and shall return
  the records to the library following the legislature's use.
         (c)  The director shall protect privileged or confidential
  legislative records held by the library from public disclosure at
  the direction of the legislative entity that transferred the
  records to the library.
         (d)  The director shall receive requests under Chapter 552
  for legislative records held by the library and respond as directed
  by the officer for public information of the legislative entity
  that transferred the records to the library. The director shall
  notify the appropriate officer for public information as soon as
  practicable after receiving a request described by this subsection.
         Sec. 324.0086.  PLACEMENT IN OTHER DEPOSITORY. (a)  A
  member of the legislature may apply to the board to place records
  that were created or received by the member's office during the
  member's term in a depository other than the library.
         (b)  The board shall:
               (1)  create a list of preapproved depositories in which
  members of the legislature may place records of their legislative
  offices; and
               (2)  by rule adopt policies and procedures to approve
  additional depositories.
         (c)  The director is responsible for the preservation of
  records described by Subsection (a) placed in a depository other
  than the library. Ownership and legal custody of the records remain
  with the legislature as provided by Section 324.0085. The records
  may not be intermingled with other holdings of the institution that
  serves as a depository.
         SECTION 2.  Section 441.001(q), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (q)  The Texas State Library and Archives Commission is
  subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in
  existence as provided by that chapter, the commission is abolished
  September 1, 2031 [2019].
         SECTION 3.  Section 441.0011, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
  follows:
         (b)  The training program must provide the person with
  information regarding:
               (1)  the law governing [legislation that created the]
  commission operations;
               (2)  the programs, functions, rules, and budget of the
  commission;
               (3)  the scope of and limitations on the rulemaking
  authority of the commission;
               (4)  the results of the most recent formal audit of the
  commission;
               (5) [(4)]  the requirements of:
                     (A)  laws relating to open meetings, public
  information, administrative procedure, and disclosing conflicts of
  interest; and
                     (B)  other laws applicable to members of a state
  policymaking body in performing their duties; and
               (6) [(5)]  any applicable ethics policies adopted by
  the commission or the Texas Ethics Commission.
         (d)  The director and librarian shall create a training
  manual that includes the information required by Subsection (b).
  The director and librarian shall distribute a copy of the training
  manual annually to each member of the commission. Each member of
  the commission shall sign and submit to the director and librarian a
  statement acknowledging that the member received and has reviewed
  the training manual.
         SECTION 4.  Section 441.006(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  The commission may:
               (1)  purchase, as state property, any suitable book,
  picture, or similar item, within the limits of the annual
  legislative appropriation;
               (2)  receive a donation or gift of money, property, or
  services on any terms and conditions it considers proper as long as
  the state does not incur financial liability;
               (3)  accept, receive, and administer federal funds made
  available by grant or loan to improve the public libraries of this
  state;
               (4)  contract or agree with the governing body or head
  of a county, city, or town of this state to meet the terms
  prescribed by the United States and consistent with state law for
  the expenditure of federal funds for improving public libraries;
  [and]
               (5)  participate in the establishment and operation of
  an affiliated nonprofit organization whose purpose is to raise
  funds for or provide services or other benefits to the commission;
  and
               (6)  use general revenue, grants, donations, gifts,
  and, if authorized by federal law, federal funds to advertise and
  promote commission programs and increase participation in and
  awareness of those programs.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter A, Chapter 441, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 441.0065 to read as follows:
         Sec. 441.0065.  ADVISORY COMMITTEES. (a) The commission
  may establish an advisory committee to make recommendations to the
  commission on programs, rules, and policies affecting the delivery
  of information services in the state.
         (b)  In establishing an advisory committee under this
  section, the commission shall adopt rules regarding:
               (1)  the purpose, role, responsibility, and goals of
  the committee;
               (2)  the size and quorum requirement of the committee;
               (3)  qualifications for committee membership;
               (4)  appointment procedures for members;
               (5)  terms of service for members;
               (6)  training requirements for members;
               (7)  a periodic review process to evaluate the
  continuing need for the committee; and
               (8)  a requirement that committee meetings be open to
  the public.
         SECTION 6.  Sections 441.0945(a) and (b), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A county record may be destroyed if the record is listed
  on a valid [the] records schedule and implementation plan [accepted
  for filing by the director and librarian] and either its retention
  period has expired or it has been microfilmed or stored
  electronically in accordance with applicable law.
         (b)  The retention period of a record as listed on [director
  and librarian or a person on the staff of the director and librarian
  may reject] the records schedule and implementation plan must be at
  least as long as [for a record if the retention period of the record
  as listed on the plan is less than] the retention period for the
  record established on a records retention schedule issued by the
  commission [by the county records manual. If the plan is rejected,
  the director and librarian or staff person shall file with the
  custodian the rejected schedule and a statement of the reasons for
  rejection not later than the 30th day after the date the director
  and librarian or staff person received the records schedule and
  implementation plan. If a schedule is rejected under this
  subsection, the custodian may submit an amended schedule].
         SECTION 7.  Sections 441.095(d) and (e), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (d)  A custodian may dispose of a county record that is not
  listed on a records retention schedule issued by the commission if,
  not [Not] later than the 10th day before the date the [a] record is
  destroyed, the custodian files and records [shall file and record]
  a notice with the county clerk.  The notice must indicate the record
  to be destroyed, how it is to be destroyed, and the date of its
  destruction.  On the day the notice is filed, the county clerk shall
  post a copy of it in the same manner that a notice of a meeting is
  posted under Chapter 551.
         (e)  The custodian may destroy the record at any time after
  [the director and librarian has approved the destruction and] the
  notice required by Subsection (d) has been posted for 10 days by the
  county clerk.
         SECTION 8.  Section 441.153, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
  follows:
         (f)  Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (g), title
  [Title] to historical resources placed in a depository by the
  commission remains with the commission, and the historical
  resources may not be intermingled with other holdings of the
  institution that serves as a depository.
         (g)  A depository may apply to the commission to transfer to
  the depository title to local historical resources placed in the
  depository by the commission. The commission shall approve the
  application only if the transfer of title is in the state's best
  interest. The commission, in consultation with depositories, shall
  adopt rules providing an application procedure and standards for
  evaluating applications to transfer title to local historical
  resources to depositories. This subsection does not authorize the
  commission to transfer title to state historical resources.
         SECTION 9.  Section 441.167, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 441.167.  ASSISTANCE [STATUTORY FILING] AND
  INFORMATION [REVIEW]. The director and librarian may designate
  employees of the commission to provide assistance and information
  to local governments on records management issues under [act as
  deputies in the approval or disapproval or acceptance or rejection
  for filing of any records control schedule, destruction
  authorization request, electronic storage authorization request,
  or other statutory filing required by] Subtitle C, Title 6, Local
  Government Code, or rules adopted under it.
         SECTION 10.  Subchapter J, Chapter 441, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 441.169 to read as follows:
         Sec. 441.169.  DUTIES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. Each local
  government shall:
               (1)  submit to the director and librarian the name of
  the local government's records management officer identified under
  Section 203.001, Local Government Code, or designated under Section
  203.025, Local Government Code, and the name of the new officer in
  the event of a change;
               (2)  file a plan or an ordinance or order establishing a
  records management program and any amendments to the plan or
  ordinance or order with the director and librarian as required by
  Sections 203.005 and 203.026, Local Government Code;
               (3)  notify the commission at least 10 days before
  destroying a local government record that does not appear on a
  records retention schedule issued by the commission; and
               (4)  file with the director and librarian a written
  certification as provided by Section 203.041, Local Government
  Code, that the local government has prepared a records control
  schedule that:
                     (A)  establishes a retention period for each local
  government record as required by Subchapter C, Chapter 203, Local
  Government Code; and
                     (B)  complies with a local government records
  retention schedule distributed by the director and librarian under
  Section 441.158 and any other state and federal requirements.
         SECTION 11.  Section 441.180, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivision (6-a) and amending Subdivisions (9) and (11) to
  read as follows:
               (6-a)  "Legislative record" means any record created or
  received by the office of a member of the legislature or the
  lieutenant governor during the official's term of office.
               (9)  "State agency" means:
                     (A)  any department, commission, board, office,
  or other agency in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch
  of state government created by the constitution or a statute of this
  state and includes[, including] an eleemosynary institution but
  does not include the office of a member of the legislature or the
  lieutenant governor;
                     (B)  any university system and its components and
  any institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003,
  Education Code, except a public junior college, not governed by a
  university system board;
                     (C)  the Texas Municipal Retirement System and the
  Texas County and District Retirement System; and
                     (D)  any public nonprofit corporation created by
  the legislature whose responsibilities and authority are not
  limited to a geographical area less than that of the state.
               (11)  "State record" means any written, photographic,
  machine-readable, or other recorded information created or
  received by or on behalf of a state agency or an elected state
  official that documents activities in the conduct of state business
  or use of public resources. The term includes any recorded
  information created or received by a Texas government official in
  the conduct of official business, including officials from periods
  in which Texas was a province, colony, republic, or state. The term
  does not include:
                     (A)  library or museum material made or acquired
  and maintained solely for reference or exhibition purposes;
                     (B)  an extra copy of recorded information
  maintained only for reference; [or]
                     (C)  a stock of publications or blank forms; or
                     (D)  a legislative record.
         SECTION 12.  Subchapter L, Chapter 441, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 441.1815, 441.1935, and 441.1965 to read
  as follows:
         Sec. 441.1815.  STATE ARCHIVES STRATEGIC PLAN. The
  commission, with input from interested persons, shall develop and
  implement a comprehensive strategic plan regarding the state
  archives. The commission shall update the strategic plan at least
  once every five years. The strategic plan must include:
               (1)  an assessment of any current archives backlog;
               (2)  a prioritized list of projects and goals related
  to the state archives;
               (3)  an evaluation of the resources needed to achieve
  the commission's goals related to the state archives, including the
  impact that different amounts of those resources are expected to
  have on the commission's ability to achieve those goals;
               (4)  performance measures, targets, and timeframes for
  achieving the commission's goals related to the state archives;
               (5)  a mechanism for regular reporting to the
  commission on progress toward achieving the commission's goals
  related to the state archives; and
               (6)  opportunities and standards for entering into
  collaborative agreements with interested persons regarding the
  state archives.
         Sec. 441.1935.  REQUIREMENTS FOR REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION
  HELD BY STATE ARCHIVES PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall
  promulgate a form that persons must use to request access to
  information held by the state archives program. The form must allow
  the requestor to designate the request either as a request for
  public information made under Chapter 552 or as a research request
  not subject to the requirements of that chapter. The form must
  include:
               (1)  a plain-language explanation of the difference
  between a request for public information made under Chapter 552 and
  a research request not subject to the requirements of that chapter;
               (2)  the requirements for making and responding to each
  type of request; and
               (3)  an option for the requestor to change the type of
  request at any time.
         (b)  Notwithstanding any other law, a request for
  information held by the state archives program is considered to be a
  request for public information under Chapter 552 only if the
  requestor makes the request using the form described by Subsection
  (a) and on the form designates the request as a request for public
  information under Chapter 552.
         Sec. 441.1965.  SALE OF REPLICAS FROM STATE ARCHIVES. (a)
  The commission may sell replicas of archival state records and
  other historical resources in its custody subject to the approval
  of the commission.
         (b)  Money received from the sale of replicas under
  Subsection (a) shall be deposited to the credit of a dedicated
  account in the general revenue fund and may be appropriated only to
  the commission for the purposes of preservation, digitization,
  archives information services, and education.
         SECTION 13.  Section 202.001(a), Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A local government record may be destroyed if:
               (1)  the record is listed on a valid records control
  schedule [accepted for filing by the director and librarian as
  provided by Section 203.041] and either its retention period has
  expired or it has been microfilmed or stored electronically in
  accordance with the requirements of Chapters 204 and 205;
               (2)  the record appears on a list of obsolete records
  [approved by the director and librarian] as provided by Section
  203.044; or
               (3)  the [a destruction request is filed with and
  approved by the director and librarian as provided by Section
  203.045 for a] record is not listed on a records retention [an
  approved control] schedule issued by the commission and the local
  government provides notice to the commission at least 10 days
  before destroying the record as required by Section 441.169,
  Government Code.
         SECTION 14.  Section 203.002, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 203.002.  DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF ELECTED COUNTY
  OFFICERS AS RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICERS. The elected county
  officer shall:
               (1)  develop policies and procedures for the
  administration of an active and continuing records management
  program;
               (2)  administer the records management program so as to
  reduce the costs and improve the efficiency of recordkeeping;
               (3)  [prepare and file with the director and librarian
  the records control schedules and amended schedules required by
  Section 203.041 and the list of obsolete records as provided by
  Section 203.044;
               [(4)     prepare requests for authorization to destroy
  records not on an approved control schedule as provided by Section
  203.045, requests to destroy the originals of permanent records
  that have been microfilmed as provided by Section 204.008, and
  electronic storage authorization requests as provided by Section
  205.007;
               [(5)]  identify and take adequate steps to preserve
  records that are of permanent value;
               (4) [(6)]  identify and take adequate steps to protect
  the essential records of the office;
               (5) [(7)]  ensure that the maintenance, preservation,
  microfilming, destruction, or other disposition of records is
  carried out in accordance with the policies and procedures of the
  records management program and the requirements of this subtitle
  and rules adopted under it; and
               (6) [(8)]  cooperate with the commission in its conduct
  of statewide records management surveys.
         SECTION 15.  Section 203.023, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 203.023.  DUTIES OF RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER. The
  records management officer in each local government shall:
               (1)  assist in establishing and developing policies and
  procedures for a records management program for the local
  government;
               (2)  administer the records management program and
  provide assistance to custodians for the purposes of reducing the
  costs and improving the efficiency of recordkeeping;
               (3)  in cooperation with the custodians of the
  records,[:
                     [(A)]  prepare [and file with the director and
  librarian] the records control schedules and amended schedules
  required by Section 203.041 and the list of obsolete records as
  provided by Section 203.044[; and
                     [(B)     prepare or direct the preparation of
  requests for authorization to destroy records not on an approved
  control schedule as provided by Section 203.045, of requests to
  destroy the originals of permanent records that have been
  microfilmed as provided by Section 204.008, and of electronic
  storage authorization requests as provided by Section 205.007];
               (4)  in cooperation with custodians, identify and take
  adequate steps to preserve local government records that are of
  permanent value;
               (5)  in cooperation with custodians, identify and take
  adequate steps to protect essential local government records;
               (6)  in cooperation with custodians, ensure that the
  maintenance, preservation, microfilming, destruction, or other
  disposition of records is carried out in accordance with the
  policies and procedures of the local government's records
  management program and the requirements of this subtitle and rules
  adopted under it;
               (7)  disseminate to the governing body and custodians
  information concerning state laws, administrative rules, and the
  policies of the government relating to local government records;
  and
               (8)  in cooperation with custodians, establish
  procedures to ensure that the handling of records in any context of
  the records management program by the records management officer or
  those under the officer's authority is carried out with due regard
  for:
                     (A)  the duties and responsibilities of
  custodians that may be imposed by law; and
                     (B)  the confidentiality of information in
  records to which access is restricted by law.
         SECTION 16.  The heading to Section 203.041, Local
  Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 203.041.  PREPARATION [AND FILING] OF RECORDS CONTROL
  SCHEDULES.
         SECTION 17.  Sections 203.041(a), (d), (f), and (g), Local
  Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  On or before January 4, 1999, the records management
  officer shall [prepare and file with the director and librarian]:
               (1)  prepare a records control schedule listing the
  following records and establishing a retention period for each as
  provided by Section 203.042:
                     (A)  all records created or received by the local
  government or elective county office;
                     (B)  any record no longer created or received by
  the local government or elective county office that is still in its
  possession and for which the retention period on a records
  retention schedule issued by the commission has not expired; and
                     (C)  any record no longer created or received by
  the local government or elective county office that is still in its
  possession and for which the retention period on a records
  retention schedule issued by the commission has expired but which
  will not be destroyed as provided by Section 203.044; and [or]
               (2)  [the records management officer, in lieu of filing
  a records control schedule, may] file with the director and
  librarian a written certification of compliance that the local
  government or the elective county office has adopted records
  control schedules that comply with the minimum requirements
  established on records retention schedules issued by the
  commission.
         (d)  The records management officer shall review the records
  control schedules of the local government or elective county office
  and prepare amendments to the schedules as needed to reflect new
  records created or received by the government or office or
  revisions to retention periods established in a records retention
  schedule issued by the commission. The records management officer
  shall file with the director and librarian a written certification
  of compliance that the local government or the elective county
  office has amended the records control schedules to comply with the
  minimum requirements established on records retention schedules
  issued by the commission [Amendments to records control schedules
  shall be filed with the director and librarian in the same manner as
  the original schedules].
         (f)  Records control schedules may be prepared [filed] on an
  office-by-office basis or on a department-by-department basis
  within each office.
         (g)  A local government that intends to retain all records
  permanently or that destroys only those records for which no
  retention periods have been established in a records retention
  schedule established under Section 441.158, Government Code, is not
  required to prepare [submit] a records control schedule under this
  section.
         SECTION 18.  Section 204.007(a), Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The [Except as provided by Section 204.008, the]
  original of a record that has been microfilmed pursuant to this
  chapter and rules adopted under it may be destroyed before the
  expiration of its retention period on a records retention schedule
  issued by the commission.
         SECTION 19.  Sections 205.008(a) and (c), Local Government
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The source document, if any, for electronically stored
  local government record data covered by rules adopted under Section
  205.003(a) [205.007(a)] may be destroyed or returned to the person
  who filed it for record [if the electronic storage authorization
  request is approved].
         (c)  The source document, if any, for electronically stored
  local government record data not covered by rules adopted under
  Section 205.003(a) [205.007(a)] may be destroyed before the
  expiration of the retention period for the source document in a
  records retention schedule issued by the commission if the magnetic
  tape, optical disk, or similar medium and hardware and software
  necessary to provide access to local government record data on the
  media are retained for the retention period in the schedule.  
  Conversely, the magnetic tape, optical disk, or similar medium may
  be erased, written over, or destroyed before the expiration of the
  retention period for a source document for local government record
  data not covered by rules adopted under Section 205.003(a)
  [205.007(a)], if the source document, if any, is retained until the
  expiration of its retention period or, if the source document has
  already been destroyed, paper or microfilm copies are generated
  from the magnetic tape, optical disk, or similar medium before
  destruction or erasure and retained until the expiration of the
  retention period for the source document.
         SECTION 20.  (a) The following provisions of the Government
  Code are repealed:
               (1)  Section 441.094(e);
               (2)  Section 441.0945(c); and
               (3)  Sections 441.095(a), (b), and (c).
         (b)  The following provisions of the Local Government Code
  are repealed:
               (1)  Sections 203.041(c) and (h);
               (2)  Section 203.042(c);
               (3)  Section 203.043;
               (4)  Sections 203.044(c) and (d); and
               (5)  Sections 203.045, 204.008, and 205.007.
         SECTION 21.  (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of
  this section, Section 441.0011, Government Code, as amended by this
  Act, applies to a member of the Texas State Library and Archives
  Commission who is appointed before, on, or after the effective date
  of this Act.
         (b)  A member of the Texas State Library and Archives
  Commission who, before the effective date of this Act, completed
  the training program required by Section 441.0011, Government Code,
  as that law existed before the effective date of this Act, is only
  required to complete additional training on the subjects added by
  this Act to the training program required by Section 441.0011,
  Government Code. A commission member described by this subsection
  may not vote, deliberate, or be counted as a member in attendance at
  a meeting of the commission held on or after December 1, 2019, until
  the member completes the additional training.
         (c)  Not later than March 1, 2020, the Texas State Library
  and Archives Commission shall promulgate a form as required by
  Section 441.1935, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         (d)  Not later than September 1, 2020, the Texas State
  Library and Archives Commission shall:
               (1)  adopt rules providing an application process and
  standards for transfer of title to local historical resources under
  Section 441.153(g), Government Code, as added by this Act; and
               (2)  develop a strategic plan for the state archives
  program as required by Section 441.1815, Government Code, as added
  by this Act.
         (e)  Not later than September 1, 2020:
               (1)  the Texas State Library and Archives Commission
  shall transfer custody and ownership of all legislative records, as
  defined by Section 441.180(6-a), Government Code, as added by this
  Act, to the Legislative Reference Library; and
               (2)  the Legislative Library Board shall create a list
  of preapproved depositories and adopt rules as required by Section
  324.0086(b), Government Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 22.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
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