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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of county auditors with respect to |
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computer software and data of other local officers or departments. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 112, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 112.011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 112.011. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE |
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PROGRAMS; LIMITATION ON AUDITOR AUTHORITY. In exercising authority |
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granted under this subchapter, a county auditor in a county with a |
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population of 190,000 or more may not mandate the use of information |
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technology components or software programs used by county |
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departments, district clerks, district attorneys, county officers, |
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or precinct officers. |
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SECTION 2. Section 115.001, Local Government Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 115.001. EXAMINATION OF RECORDS. (a) The county |
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auditor shall [have continual access to and shall] examine and |
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investigate the correctness of: |
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(1) the books, accounts, reports, vouchers, and other |
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financial records of any officer; |
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(2) the orders of the commissioners court relating to |
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county finances; and |
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(3) the vouchers given by the trustees of all common |
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school districts of the county. |
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(b) In exercising authority granted under this section, a |
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county auditor may not directly access or manipulate real-time data |
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on a computer maintained by a county department or a district clerk, |
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district attorney, county officer, or precinct officer except as |
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authorized by a written agreement between the auditor and the |
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entity responsible for compiling or maintaining the applicable |
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data. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |