85R7123 YDB-D     By: Burton S.B. No. 623       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the establishment of a public information Internet   website.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subtitle A, Title 5, Government Code, is amended   by adding Chapter 561 to read as follows:   CHAPTER 561. PUBLIC INFORMATION INTERNET WEBSITE          Sec. 561.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:                (1)  "Governmental entity" means:                      (A)  a state agency in the executive, legislative,   or judicial branch of state government, including an institution of   higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code; or                      (B)  a political subdivision of this state.                (2)  "Public information" means a public or legal   notice that a governmental entity is required to publish under a   statute or rule and any other information that a governmental   entity submits for publication on the public information Internet   website.                (3)  "Public information Internet website" means the   official state Internet website developed and maintained by the   comptroller under this chapter.          Sec. 561.002.  PUBLIC INFORMATION INTERNET WEBSITE. (a)     The comptroller shall develop and maintain an Internet website of   public information, including archived public information.          (b)  The public information Internet website must be   designed to:                (1)  allow a governmental entity to easily post public   information or the comptroller to post public information on   receipt of the information from the entity;                (2)  allow the public to search and sort the public   information on the Internet website by:                      (A)  a specific municipality or county;                      (B)  a governmental entity name;                      (C)  the type of governmental entity;                      (D)  the date the public information is submitted;                      (E)  the date an event or deadline stated in the   public information occurred; and                      (F)  any additional criteria approved by the   comptroller;                (3)  allow the public to search and view archived   public information posted on the Internet website;                (4)  allow a person to subscribe to e-mail notices of   public information associated with a specific governmental entity;                (5)  be easily accessible by the public 24 hours a day,   7 days a week, through the Texas.gov Internet website that includes   a direct link to the public information Internet website;                (6)  have a unique and easy to remember Internet   website address; and                (7)  have adequate systems for protection, backup, and   contingency planning to address power outages, systematic   failures, and electronic security.           (c)  The comptroller shall develop a process for a   governmental entity to access the public information Internet   website to post public information or modify information previously   posted by the entity or to submit the information or modified   information to the comptroller for posting on the Internet website.          Sec. 561.003.  REQUIRED SUBMISSION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION.   Each governmental entity:                (1)  shall submit for inclusion on the public   information Internet website any public or legal notice the entity   is required to publish under statute or rule; and                (2)  may submit any other public information the entity   elects to submit.          Sec. 561.004.  PUBLIC INFORMATION INTERNET WEBSITE DOES NOT   SATISFY PUBLICATION REQUIREMENT. A governmental entity's   submission of public information to the public information Internet   website does not satisfy a publication requirement under other law.   Submission of public information to the Internet website shall be   made in addition to any other publication requirement.          Sec. 561.005.  IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY OR PENALTY. A   governmental entity that in good faith attempts to submit public   information to the public information Internet website and that   satisfies the publication requirements for that information under   other law is not subject to liability or other penalty for a failure   in posting the public information to the public information   Internet website or in delivery of an e-mail notice of the posted   public information.          SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act, but not later than September 1, 2018:                (1)  the comptroller of public accounts shall develop   the public information Internet website as required by Chapter 561,   Government Code, as added by this Act; and                (2)  each governmental entity in this state shall begin   submitting public information to the public information Internet   website in the format and manner required by the comptroller and   Chapter 561, Government Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.