Bill Text: TX SB970 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to information included in a searchable state revenue and expenditure database maintained by the comptroller.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-09 - Left pending in committee [SB970 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-SB970-Introduced.html

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82R5624 KJM-F
By: Rodriguez S.B. No. 970

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to information included in a searchable state revenue and
expenditure database maintained by the comptroller.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 403.024, Government Code,
is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 403.024. SEARCHABLE STATE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE
DATABASE.
SECTION 2. Sections 403.024(b), (c), (d), (e), (g), and
(h), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:
(b) The comptroller shall establish and post on the Internet
a database of state revenues and expenditures, including contracts
and grants, that is electronically searchable by the public except
as provided by Subsection (d). The database must include:
(1) the amount, date, payor, and payee of
expenditures; [and]
(2) a listing of state expenditures by:
(A) object of expense with links to the warrant
or check register level; [and]
(B) to the extent maintained by state agency
accounting systems in a reportable format, class and item levels;
(C) category of expenditure; and
(D) county in which the state expenditure is
made;
(3) the amount, date, and payor of state revenue;
(4) a listing of state revenues by:
(A) source;
(B) object;
(C) category of revenue; and
(D) county in which the revenue is collected; and
(5) a description of each category and object of
revenue or expenditure.
(c) To the extent possible, the comptroller shall present
information in the database established under this section in a
manner that is searchable and intuitive to users. The comptroller
shall enhance and organize the presentation of the information
through the use of graphical representations, such as pie charts,
as the comptroller considers appropriate. At a minimum, the
database must allow users to:
(1) search and aggregate state revenues and
expenditures [funding] by any element of the information, including
a search by the county in which:
(A) the state expenditure is made; and
(B) the state revenue is collected;
(2) ascertain through a single search:
(A) the total amount of state funding awarded to
a person by a state agency;
(B) the amount of state revenue collected in each
county; and
(C) the amount of state expenditures in each
county; and
(3) without additional authorization from the state,
download and reproduce information yielded by a search of the
database with a citation to the database, the date the database was
last updated, and the date the information was downloaded included
in the downloaded information.
(d) The comptroller may not allow public access under this
section to a payee's address, except that the comptroller may allow
public access under this section to information identifying the
county in which the payor or payee is located. The comptroller may
not allow public access under this section to information that is
identified by a state agency or county as excepted from required
disclosure under Chapter 552 or as confidential. It is an exception
to the application of Section 552.352(a) that the comptroller or an
officer or employee of the comptroller's office posted information
under this section in reliance on a determination made by a state
agency or county about the confidentiality of information relating
to the agency's or county's revenues or expenditures. The
comptroller or an officer or employee of the comptroller's office
is immune from any civil liability for posting confidential
information under this section if the comptroller, officer, or
employee posted the information in reliance on a determination made
by a state agency or county about the confidentiality of
information relating to the agency's or county's revenues or
expenditures.
(e) To the extent any information required to be in the
database is already being collected or maintained by a state agency
or county, the state agency or county shall provide that
information to the comptroller for inclusion in the database.
(g) Except as provided by Subsection (h), a state agency or
county is required to cooperate with and provide information to the
comptroller as necessary to implement and administer this section.
(h) This section does not require a state agency or county
to record information or expend resources for the purpose of
computer programming or other additional actions necessary to make
information reportable under this section.
SECTION 3. The comptroller of public accounts shall modify
the Internet database established under Section 403.024,
Government Code, as necessary to conform to the requirements of
that section, as amended by this Act, not later than January 1,
2012.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.