Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2808 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	86R12371 MP-D
2	2	By: Shaheen H.B. No. 2808
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the publication of required notice by a political
8	8	subdivision by alternative media and on the Internet.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Chapter 2051, Government Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER E. NOTICE BY PUBLICATION IN MEDIA OTHER THAN NEWSPAPER
13	13	Sec. 2051.151. NOTICE BY PUBLICATION ON INTERNET. (a) In
14	14	addition to any law requiring notice be published by newspaper and
15	15	subject to Subsection (b), a political subdivision shall provide
16	16	notice:
17	17	(1) on an Internet website maintained by the
18	18	comptroller; and
19	19	(2) on the political subdivision's Internet website.
20	20	(b) A political subdivision may request from the
21	21	comptroller and the comptroller may grant a waiver from the
22	22	requirements of Subsection (a) if the political subdivision
23	23	provides sufficient proof that Internet access is limited in the
24	24	political subdivision. If the comptroller grants the waiver, the
25	25	political subdivision must provide additional notice on a public
26	26	agenda board within the political subdivision.
27	27	(c) Notice published under this section must be made
28	28	available for the period required by law for which the publication
29	29	of the notice is required in a newspaper.
30	30	Sec. 2051.152. NOTICE BY ALTERNATIVE MEDIA. (a) A
31	31	political subdivision may satisfy a requirement in any other law to
32	32	provide notice by publication in a newspaper by publishing the
33	33	notice by media described by Subsection (b) that the political
34	34	subdivision determines has greater circulation than the newspaper
35	35	with the greatest circulation in the political subdivision.
36	36	(b) The following forms of media are authorized for
37	37	providing notice under Subsection (a):
38	38	(1) social media;
39	39	(2) free newspapers;
40	40	(3) school newspapers;
41	41	(4) a homeowners' association newsletter or magazine;
42	42	(5) utility bills;
43	43	(6) direct mailings; and
44	44	(7) any other form of media authorized by the
45	45	comptroller.
46	46	(c) A political subdivision that provides notice using
47	47	alternative media under this section shall submit notice to the
48	48	comptroller describing the alternative notice method that
49	49	includes:
50	50	(1) the number of subscribers within the political
51	51	subdivision of the newspaper with the greatest circulation in the
52	52	political subdivision;
53	53	(2) a description of the alternative media used for
54	54	the notice; and
55	55	(3) the circulation of the alternative media used for
56	56	the notice.
57	57	Sec. 2051.153. COMPTROLLER ALTERNATIVE NOTICE REPORT. (a)
58	58	The comptroller shall prepare a report that identifies and compares
59	59	the effectiveness of different methods of notice publication used
60	60	by political subdivisions. The report must include all types of
61	61	notice that are used under this chapter and laws that require the
62	62	publication of a notice in a newspaper.
63	63	(b) Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year,
64	64	the comptroller shall submit the report described by Subsection (a)
65	65	to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of
66	66	representatives.
67	67	(c) This section expires January 1, 2023.
68	68	Sec. 2051.154. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. The comptroller may
69	69	adopt rules necessary to administer this chapter.
70	70	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.