HBA-ATS S.B. 916 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 916 By: Wentworth State Affairs 4/27/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the secretary of state must post a notice of all open meetings on bulletin boards accessible to the public 24 hours a day. Bulletin boards with notices are available outside the secretary of state's office in the Capitol. However, at night, because the Capitol is locked, the official bulletin board is in the lobby of the Rudder State Office Building where the Department of Public Safety posts a guard. Additionally, although the secretary of state posts the official notices on bulletin boards, state agencies file their open meeting notices with the secretary of state on-line. Making the Internet the official posting site for notices may provide quicker and wider access to open meetings notices because a notice will be available to anyone with Internet access within minutes of the agency's submission. S.B. 916 require the secretary of state to post certain meetings of public agencies on the Internet. The secretary of state is required to provide a computer terminal in its office for the public to view the posted notices of meetings. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 551.044(a), Government Code, to require the secretary of state (secretary) to post certain meetings of public agencies on the Internet. Adds a provision requiring the secretary to provide a computer terminal in its office for the public to view the posted notices of meetings. SECTION 2. Amends Section 551.0148(b), Government Code, to require the secretary to post the notice on the Internet. Adds a provision requiring the secretary to provide a computer terminal, rather than a bulletin board, in its office for the public to view the posted notices of meetings. Makes a nonsubstantive change. SECTION 3. Amends Section 551.053(b), Government Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 4.Effective date: September 1, 1999. Makes application of this Act prospective.