Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB520 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R624 CJC-F
2	2	By: Middleton S.B. No. 520
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to a priority system for consideration by state
10	10	governmental entities of oral or written public comments received
11	11	from certain persons.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 5, Government Code, is amended
14	14	by adding Chapter 561 to read as follows:
15	15	CHAPTER 561. PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY
16	16	Sec. 561.0001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "state
17	17	governmental entity" has the meaning assigned by Section 554.001,
18	18	except that the term does not include the legislature.
19	19	Sec. 561.0002. PUBLIC COMMENT PRIORITY POLICY REQUIRED.
20	20	Each state governmental entity shall adopt a policy implementing a
21	21	priority system for consideration of oral or written public
22	22	comments received by the entity in response to a matter for which
23	23	the entity is required or authorized by law to solicit public
24	24	comment.
25	25	Sec. 561.0003. CONTENT OF POLICY. A policy adopted by a
26	26	state governmental entity under this chapter must require the
27	27	entity, when considering solicited public comments, to:
28	28	(1) assign first priority to public comments received
29	29	from individuals who are:
30	30	(A) residents of this state; and
31	31	(B) directly affected by the matter for which the
32	32	comment is received;
33	33	(2) assign second priority to public comments received
34	34	from individuals who are:
35	35	(A) residents of this state; and
36	36	(B) not otherwise described by Subdivision (1);
37	37	(3) assign third priority to public comments received
38	38	from business entities and nonprofit organizations whose principal
39	39	places of business are located in this state; and
40	40	(4) assign fourth priority to public comments received
41	41	from:
42	42	(A) individuals who are not residents of this
43	43	state; and
44	44	(B) business entities and nonprofit
45	45	organizations whose principal places of business are not located in
46	46	this state.
47	47	Sec. 561.0004. EFFECT OF PRIORITY ASSIGNMENT ON
48	48	CONSIDERATION OF PUBLIC COMMENT. A public comment described by
49	49	Section 561.0003(4) that is received by a state governmental
50	50	entity:
51	51	(1) may be entered into the official record of the
52	52	proceeding at which the comment is received by the entity; and
53	53	(2) may not:
54	54	(A) be considered by the entity in relation to
55	55	any business pending before the entity; or
56	56	(B) form the basis for a delay in consideration
57	57	of any business pending before the entity.
58	58	SECTION 2. Each state governmental entity to which Chapter
59	59	561, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies shall adopt a
60	60	policy implementing a priority system for consideration of oral or
61	61	written public comments received by the entity as required by that
62	62	chapter not later than December 31, 2025.
63	63	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
64	64	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
65	65	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
66	66	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
67	67	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.