BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 675

By: Vasut

Delivery of Government Efficiency

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under state public information law, governmental bodies may charge fees for providing copies of public information, which could impose a financial burden on those interested in obtaining access to the information. H.B. 675 seeks to lessen the burden these fees may present to citizens by prohibiting governmental bodies from charging a fee for providing copies of certain campaign finance reports and by authorizing the attorney general to reduce or even cancel fees imposed by governmental bodies under certain circumstances.

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

H.B. 675 amends the Government Code to prohibit an applicable governmental body from imposing a charge for providing a copy of public information requested under state public information law if the information is a campaign finance report filed by a candidate for office or by an officeholder, unless all such reports filed with the governmental body during the preceding three years are available to the public on the governmental body's website. The bill authorizes the attorney general to cancel or reduce any charge or portion of a charge imposed by a governmental body under state public information law if the attorney general determines that the governmental body has not maintained the requested information in accordance with standard recordkeeping practices or has failed to comply with state public information law with regard to the public information request for which the charge is imposed. The bill's provisions apply only to a public information request received on or after the bill's effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.