HBA-KDB H.B. 2016 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2016
By: Kitchen
State Affairs
3/7/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, government regulatory agencies require extensive paperwork from
the companies they regulate.  The information requested by these agencies
is necessary for the government to maintain standards for everything from
air quality to oil and gas drilling.  However, these reports can require
considerable time to fill out and result in huge personnel costs to the
private sector.  In a recent survey of 33 Texas state agencies, 17 were
found to require routine regulatory reports.  Of these, only five accept
electronic filings. The remaining agencies cited the cost of putting forms
online, the cost of software, concerns about electronic signatures, and a
lack of in-house expertise as reasons for not using electronic filing.
Agencies that offer electronic reporting, as well as the companies that use
it, agree that electronic reporting reduces costs and errors.  House Bill
2016 requires the Department of Information Resources to advise and consult
with state agencies to determine opportunities for allowing persons to
electronically file required information with the agencies. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2016 amends the Government Code to require the Department of
Information Resources (DIR) to advise and consult with state agencies to
assess opportunities for allowing persons to electronically file required
information with an agency.  The bill requires DIR to identify the cost of
implementing an electronic reporting procedure and any barriers to
electronic reporting.  The bill authorizes DIR to survey state agencies,
identify the costs associated with electronic reporting, identify reports
that may be filed electronically, advise an agency, and develop and
implement a plan to adopt electronic reporting in state government,
whenever it is effective and efficient to do so.  The bill requires DIR to
report its recommendations to the legislature no later than September 1,
2002. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.