Sec. 2002.0151.  ELECTRONIC AVAILABILITY OF TEXAS REGISTER.  (a)  Subject to Subsection (e), the secretary of state:
(1)  shall make the full text of the Texas Register available to the public through the Internet at no charge;  and
(2)  may make the full text of the Texas Register available on an electronic bulletin board at no charge.
(b)  An edition of the Texas Register that is made available through the Internet or an electronic bulletin board operated by the secretary of state must be made available not later than the date of the edition.
(c)  If the secretary of state does not make the full text of the Texas Register available on an electronic bulletin board, the secretary of state shall, on the request of one or more agencies that operate an electronic bulletin board, make the full text of the Texas Register available to at least one requesting agency for posting on that agency's electronic bulletin board until the secretary of state begins operating an electronic bulletin board.
(d)  The secretary of state may electronically provide to the public specialized value-added services related to the Texas Register such as clipping services or subscription services at the market price for the services.
(e)  The secretary of state shall determine whether making the Texas Register available on the Internet at no charge and on an electronic bulletin board at no charge, as provided by this section, results in a revenue shortfall that is not covered by the sale of value-added services as provided by Subsection (d).  The secretary of state shall report any shortfall attributed to the free Internet and electronic bulletin board services to the Legislative Budget Board in its biennial budget.  If a shortfall occurs, the secretary shall also request the appropriation of funds for the next biennial budget in the amount of the shortfall to continue the Internet and electronic bulletin board services at no charge.  If the requested funds are not appropriated, the secretary of state may, at the beginning of the next state fiscal year, charge user fees for the Internet and electronic bulletin board services in an amount that will compensate the secretary of state for the revenue shortfall.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 455, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 28, 1995.