Texas House Bill HB481

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Caption

Relating to an open document format for electronic state documents.

Impact

If enacted, HB 481 would amend the Government Code to introduce specific guidelines for state agencies on handling electronic documents. These guidelines will outline the necessary steps for transitioning existing documents to the mandated format and stipulate the conditions under which new documents must be created. The Department of Information Resources is tasked with developing practical guidelines, which will reflect considerations such as conversion costs and the need for public access. This will likely lead to increased consistency and accessibility of electronic records across various state platforms.

Summary

House Bill 481 focuses on establishing a requirement for state agencies in Texas to utilize an open document format for all electronic documents they create, exchange, or maintain. The bill specifically mandates that these documents must be in an Extensible Markup Language (XML) based format that is interoperable across various platforms and software. The intention behind this legislation is to ensure that state documents are easily accessible, modifiable, and manageable by both the state and the general public, thereby enhancing transparency and efficiency in state operations.

Contention

There could be points of contention around the implementation of HB 481, particularly concerning the costs associated with converting current documents to the new format. Stakeholders may express concerns over the potential financial burden on state agencies, especially smaller entities with limited resources. Additionally, there may be debate on the timeline and operational feasibility of converting existing documents, and on whether the open document standards set forth will align effectively with existing proprietary formats used by state agencies.