Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB943 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	S.B. No. 943
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to publication of notices by a governmental entity on the
6	6	Internet websites of a newspaper and the Texas Press Association.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 2051, Government Code, is
9	9	amended by adding Section 2051.054 to read as follows:
10	10	Sec. 2051.054. INTERNET PUBLICATION OF NOTICES. (a)
11	11	Subsections (b)(2) and (c) apply only if the Texas Press
12	12	Association maintains an Internet website as a statewide repository
13	13	of notices.
14	14	(b) A newspaper that publishes a notice shall, at no
15	15	additional cost to the governmental entity placing the notice:
16	16	(1) publish the notice on one or more webpages on the
17	17	newspaper's Internet website, if the newspaper maintains a website,
18	18	that are:
19	19	(A) clearly designated for notices; and
20	20	(B) accessible to the public at no cost; and
21	21	(2) deliver the notice to the Texas Press Association
22	22	for the association to publish on the association's Internet
23	23	website described by Subsection (a).
24	24	(c) The Texas Press Association shall publish each notice it
25	25	receives from a newspaper under Subsection (b)(2) on the
26	26	association's Internet website described by Subsection (a). The
27	27	association must ensure that the website:
28	28	(1) is accessible to the public at no cost;
29	29	(2) is updated as notices are received;
30	30	(3) is searchable and sortable by subject matter,
31	31	location, and both subject matter and location; and
32	32	(4) offers an e-mail notification service to which a
33	33	person may electronically subscribe to receive notifications that a
34	34	notice has been published on the website and that allows the
35	35	subscriber to limit the notifications by subject matter, location,
36	36	or both subject matter and location.
37	37	(d) A person required to publish a notice on an Internet
38	38	website under this section shall archive the notice on the website
39	39	in its entirety, including the date the notice is published.
40	40	(e) The validity of a notice printed in a newspaper and
41	41	published on an Internet website under this section is not affected
42	42	if:
43	43	(1) there is an error in the notice published on the
44	44	website; or
45	45	(2) publication of the notice on the website is
46	46	temporarily prevented as the result of a technical issue with the
47	47	website.
48	48	SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
49	49	a notice published on or after the effective date of this Act.
50	50	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
51	51	______________________________ ______________________________
52	52	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
53	53	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 943 passed the Senate on
54	54	April 27, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
55	55	______________________________
56	56	Secretary of the Senate
57	57	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 943 passed the House on
58	58	May 12, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 1, two
59	59	present not voting.
60	60	______________________________
61	61	Chief Clerk of the House
62	62	Approved:
63	63	______________________________
64	64	Date
65	65	______________________________
66	66	Governor