Legislative History

Texas has no major statutory impediments to implementing broad e-government projects. For example, during previous sessions, the Legislature has given digital signatures the same validity and force in law as handwritten signatures. On another front, the Legislature also has permitted drivers' licenses to be renewed over the Internet. If Department of Public Safety officials begin renewing licenses online, they will not have to seek statutory authority; they already have it.

The Legislature also has enabled state agencies to accept credit, charge, and debit card payments online and required state agencies to set up electronic vendor catalogs for computer procurement purposes. Moreover, the Legislature has required agencies to maintain a publicly accessible Internet e-mail address and to publish their reports, forms, and other public information online.

In 1999, the Legislature created a task force with representatives from several agencies to establish a portal pilot project to simplify access to government information and services for citizens, businesses, and other units of government. The law calls for a statewide directory of services, a method to send and receive documents (such as licenses and permits) electronically and a secure method of making payments.

The Texas Legislature has clearly intended for state agencies to move toward providing as many services and as much information as possible online over the Internet and has generally been receptive to agencies' requests for statutory authority to move forward on such projects. The fragmented nature of Texas government, however, has made a comprehensive, coordinated e-government strategy difficult to achieve so far.