The bill, S.B. No. 445, proposes to eliminate the fee for electronic access to certain information maintained by the Secretary of State in Texas. Specifically, it amends Section 405.018(d) of the Government Code by removing the requirement for the Secretary of State to set and charge a fee for access to this information, which was previously deemed necessary to cover the costs of establishing and administering the system. The only fee that remains is a reasonable charge for the transfer of software under a different subsection.

If enacted, this legislation would allow the public to access specific information electronically without incurring any fees, thereby promoting transparency and accessibility of government information. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 405.018 (Government Code 405)