By: Hunter H.C.R. No. 150
HOUSE 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.