TITLE 1.ADMINISTRATION

Part 10. DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES

Chapter 201. PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES TECHNOLOGIES

1 TAC §201.14

The Department of Information Resources proposes an amendment to §201.14, concerning digital signatures. The effect of the amendment is to add previously-omitted language from the definition of the term "key pair." The purpose of this proposal is to correct a minor clerical error in the adopted rule as it appeared in the March 31, 2000 issue of the Texas Register (25 TexReg 2792). Specifically, the definition of a "key pair," in §201.14(b)(13), was inadvertently truncated due to a clerical error in the transcription and reproduction of the rule text. The clerical error occurred after the adoption by the Board of other amendments to this section and prior to their publication in the March 31, 2000 issue of the Texas Register . There are no changes to the rule text other than the reinsertion of the portion of the definition of "key pair" that was inadvertently omitted.

Mr. Larry Zeplin, Director of the Administrative Operations Division, has determined that for each year of the first five years the proposed amendment will be in effect, there will be no fiscal implications for state government as a result of enforcing or administering the amendment. There will be no foreseeable fiscal implications for local government as a result of enforcing or administering the amendment.

Mr. Zeplin has also determined that for each year of the first five years the proposed amendment will be in effect, there will be a benefit to the public in that the rule governing digital signatures will be clearer and more complete. There will be no effect on small businesses. There is no anticipated economic cost to persons who are required to comply with the amendment as proposed.

Comments on the proposal may be submitted to C. J. Brandt, Jr., General Counsel, Department of Information Resources, P.O. Box 13564, Austin, Texas, 78711, no later than 5:00 p.m., within 30 days after publication.

The amendment is proposed in accordance with Texas Government Code §2054.052(a), which provides the department may adopt rules as necessary to implement its responsibilities, and Texas Government Code §2054.060(a), which permits the department to adopt rules pertaining to digital signatures.

No other article, statute or code is affected by this proposed amendment.

§201.14.Digital Signatures.

(a)

(No change.)

(b)

Definitions. The following words and terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings unless the context expressly indicates otherwise:

(1)-(12)

(No change.)

(13)

Key pair - a private key and its corresponding public key in an asymmetric cryptosystem. The keys have the property that the public key can verify a digital signature that the private key creates.

(14)-(33)

(No change.)

(c)-(f)

(No change.)

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 21, 2000.

TRD-200004359

C.J. Brandt, Jr.

General Counsel

Department of Information Resources

Earliest possible date of adoption: August 6, 2000

For further information, please call: (512) 475-2153