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.