S.C.R. No. 56         SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION   WHEREAS, The Texas Public Information Act has recently been   impacted by court decisions; and          WHEREAS, During the 85th Legislative Session, lawmakers and   other stakeholders spent months collaborating on several bills to   improve the Act, with many proposals garnering broad support;   despite those efforts, significant reforms failed to pass, leaving   TPIA still susceptible to a number of loopholes; and          WHEREAS, Government transparency is a vital component of an   informed citizenry, and it is incumbent on the State of Texas to   ensure that the public have access to information regarding how   their government functions in order to promote accountability,   openness, and honesty; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas   hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house   of representatives to create a joint interim committee to examine   all state open-government laws, including the Texas Public   Information Act, for opportunities to improve transparency and   accountability; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That the committee submit a full report, including   its findings and recommendations, to the 86th Texas Legislature   before it convenes in January 2019; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be   governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim   committees as the 85th Legislature may adopt.             ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                 I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 56 was adopted by the Senate   on May 24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.       ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate                I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 56 was adopted by the House   on May 28, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 147, Nays 0, one   present not voting.       ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House            Approved:     ______________________________                Date       ______________________________              Governor