| 1 | 1 | | 89R1167 KJE-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Toth H.B. No. 2059 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | relating to references to "taxpayer money" in state documents, |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | publications, and notices. |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 2051, Government Code, is amended by |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | adding Subchapter G to read as follows: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | SUBCHAPTER G. STATE DOCUMENT REFERENCES TO TAXPAYER MONEY |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 2051.251. REFERENCES TO TAXPAYER MONEY. (a) A state |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | official or state agency that, in an official document, |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | publication, or notice published or issued in print or on a publicly |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | accessible Internet web page, undertakes to refer to money |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | originating from taxes that is held by this state, a state agency, |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | or a state official and may be used only for a public purpose of this |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | state may not refer to that money by a term or phrase other than the |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | phrase "taxpayer money" except as provided by this section. The |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | official or agency shall use the phrase "taxpayer money" instead of |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | other common terms or phrases for money described by this |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | subsection, including: |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (1) government funds; |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (2) government money; |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (3) public funds; |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (4) public money; |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (5) state funds; and |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (6) state money. |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a reference to money |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | this state holds in trust for the benefit of a person other than |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | this state or a governmental entity of this state. |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (c) Subsection (a) does not apply to a legislative document |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | or publication, including: |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (1) a bill, a resolution, an analysis of a bill or |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | resolution, or a description of the contents of one of those types |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | of documents, that is used or may be used in the legislative |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | process; |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (2) a state statute; and |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | (3) the Texas Constitution. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (d) Subsection (a) does not apply to a document concerning, |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | or a publication of, state agency rules that for reasons of legal |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | clarity must rely on phrasing used in state statutes or the Texas |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | Constitution. |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
|---|