TITLE 13.CULTURAL RESOURCES

Part 4. RECORDS MANAGEMENT INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL

Chapter 50. COUNCIL PROCEDURES

13 TAC §§50.1, 50.3, 50.5, 50.7, 50.9, 50.11

The Records Management Interagency Coordinating Council proposes amendments to §§50.1, 50.3, 50.5, 50.7, 50.9, and 50.11, concerning procedures of the council.

The purpose of these amendments is to make council rules conform to the provisions of Senate Bill 394, recently enacted by the 78th Legislature, which alters the composition of the council. The council also takes the opportunity to make non-substantive stylistic amendments to the sections to provide more clarity and readability.

Dan Procter, Chair of the Records Management Interagency Coordinating Council, has determined that for the first five-year period the amended rules are in effect there will be no fiscal implications for state or local government as a result of enforcing or administering the rules.

Mr. Procter has also determined that for each year of the first five years the amended sections are in effect, the public benefit anticipated as a result of enforcing the sections will be that those parties involved with or interested in the work of the Records Management Interagency Coordinating Council will have a clear and reliable set of administrative rules concerning the procedures of the council. There is no anticipated economic cost to small or large businesses or to any other person required to comply with the amended sections. There is no anticipated local employment impact as a result of enforcing the amended sections.

Written comments on the proposal may be submitted no later than August 11, 2003, to Dan Procter, Texas Register, P.O. Box 13824, 1019 Brazos, Room 245, Austin, Texas 78711-3824 or e-mail comments to dprocter@sos.state.tx.us.

The amendments are proposed under the Government Code, §441.203(f), which provide the council with authority to adopt by rule policies that coordinate the activities of the members of the council and that make other improvements to the state's management of records.

No other statute, article, or code is affected by these amendments.

§50.1.Purpose.

The Records Management Interagency Coordinating Council , referred to in this chapter as the council, [ (RMICC) was established by Senate Bill 366 during the 74th Legislative Session in 1995. RMICC ] coordinates the management of state government records by:

(1) informing the legislature on records management issues and making recommendations to improve records management processes and accountability;

(2) facilitating the transition from paper to electronic records; and

(3) developing consistent records management in state agencies.

§50.3.Officers.

(a) The council [ RMICC ] is composed of [ the following officers or the officer's designee ]:

(1) permanent members, consisting of the following officers or the officer's designee:

(A) [ (1) ] the secretary of state;

(B) [ (2) ] the state auditor, who serves as a nonvoting member;

(C) [ (3) ] the comptroller of public accounts;

(D) [ (4) ] the attorney general;

(E) [ (5) ] the director and librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission;

(F) [ (6) ] the executive director of the Texas Building and Procurement Commission; and

(G) [ (7) ] the executive director of the Department of Information Resources ; and [ . ]

(2) auxiliary voting members, consisting of:

(A) one faculty member of a public senior college or university, as defined by the Education Code, §61.003, who has demonstrated knowledge of records and information management; and

(B) two individuals who serve as information resources managers, under the Government Code, §2054.071, for state agencies in the executive branch of government.

(b) Auxiliary voting members are appointed by the chair of the council with the consent of a majority of the permanent members of the council and serve two-year terms expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year.

(c) [ (b) ] Designees have full power and authority to act on behalf of the members of the council whom [ RMICC who ] they represent.

(d) [ (c) ] The presiding officer is the chair, who shall be one of the permanent officers or a permanent [ an ] officer's designee.

(1) The members [ officers ] shall nominate and elect a chair and a vice chair during even-numbered years.

(2) The chair and vice-chair shall serve for two years, beginning on February 1 of each odd-numbered year.

(e) [ (d) ] Should the chair resign, the vice chair shall serve as chair for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(f) [ (e) ] The chair shall preside at all meetings of the council [ commission ]. If the chair is unavailable, the vice chair will act as chair.

(g) [ (f) ] No member shall serve more than two consecutive full terms in any one office.

(h) [ (g) ] Notices, suggestions, correspondence, or other documents to be delivered to the council [ RMICC ] shall be delivered by postal mail to P.O. Box 12927, Austin, Texas 78711 or by interagency mail to 1201 Brazos, Austin, Texas 78701. Phone: (512) 463-5460.

§50.5.Meetings.

(a) The council [ RMICC ] shall meet at least once quarterly and at other times at the call of the chair or upon the written request of three or more members. Any written request must be filed with the chair or the vice chair. All meetings shall comply with the open meetings provisions in the Government Code, Chapter 551.

(b) The chair [ or a majority of the officers ] will designate the time, date, and place of all meetings. The chair shall be responsible for filing notice of meetings as required by law. The chair shall also give notice of the meetings to council members [ RMICC officers ].

(1) The chair shall prepare the agenda before council [ RMICC ] meetings.

(2) Items shall be included on the agenda upon the written request of one council [ RMICC ] member and approval of the chair.

(3) A member [ An officer ] who is unable to attend a meeting shall notify the chair before the meeting, and if possible send a designee to the meeting.

(c) The council [ RMICC ] may take action upon a majority vote of the members eligible to vote on that action.

(d) The chair shall designate a clerk to keep a complete record of the meetings of the council [ RMICC ] and shall prepare written summaries or minutes reflecting actions taken by council members [ the RMICC officers ] present as required by the Government Code, Chapter 551.

(e) An opportunity for public comment [ comments ] shall be provided at each council [ RMICC ] meeting. Public comment [ comments ] shall be heard subject to limitations imposed at the discretion of the chair, including time limits and other constraints as necessary for efficient and fair consideration of agenda items.

(f) The council [ RMICC ] may periodically hold public hearings to obtain input regarding the policies and operations of the council [ Council ], issues before the council [ Council ], and to solicit suggestions and ideas from interested members of the public.

§50.7.Committees.

(a) The council [ RMICC ] may assign committees to review, evaluate, consider, or analyze any legislation, suggestions, proposals, or other information on the council's [ RMICC's ] behalf. The assigned committees may perform any function deemed necessary by the council [ RMICC ]. The results of any reviews or evaluations may be made in writing and submitted to the council [ RMICC ].

(1) The council [ RMICC ] may consider the written recommendations, but shall not be bound by such recommendations.

(2) The council [ RMICC ] may vote to abolish a committee or change a committee's assignment.

(b) All committee chairs shall be nominated and elected by the council [ RMICC ]. Committee chairs may appoint committee members. Any state employee may be appointed to serve on a council committee [ Council Committee ], subject to approval of the executive director of that employee's agency.

§50.9.Staff.

Service on the council [ RMICC ] is an additional duty of a member's office or employment. A member of the council [ Council ] is not entitled to compensation for performing the work of the council [ Council ] but is entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in performing that work , as provided by the General Appropriations Act .

§50.11.Rules.

To implement its policies, the council [ RMICC ] shall adopt rules as prescribed under the Government Code, §441.203 and under the Administrative Procedure Act, Government Code, Chapter 2001.

This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on June 27, 2003.

TRD-200303970

Geoffrey S. Connor

Assistant Secretary of State

Records Management Interagency Coordinating Council

Earliest possible date of adoption: August 10, 2003

For further information, please call: (512) 463-5562