By: Eckhardt S.B. No. 710
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment and use of a written electronic
communications system accessible to the public by certain municipal
entities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 551.006(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) Except as provided by Section 551.0061, a [A]
governmental body may have no more than one online message board or
similar Internet application to be used for the purposes described
in Subsection (a). The online message board or similar Internet
application must be owned or controlled by the governmental body,
prominently displayed on the governmental body's primary Internet
web page, and no more than one click away from the governmental
body's primary Internet web page.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 551.0061 to read as follows:
Sec. 551.0061. WRITTEN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
ACCESSIBLE TO PUBLIC FOR CERTAIN MUNICIPAL ENTITIES. (a) The
governing body of a municipality by ordinance or resolution may
authorize a commission or other entity organized under Subchapter
A, Chapter 211, Local Government Code, to establish and use an
online message board or similar Internet application for the
purposes described in Section 551.006(a).
(b) A governing body adopting an ordinance or resolution
under this section may authorize use of the online message board or
similar Internet application for a period of not longer than two
years, and may reauthorize use of the message board or application
in the same manner and for the same period as many times as the
governing body determines is appropriate. The governing body may
rescind an ordinance or resolution adopted under this section at
any time.
(c) An online message board or similar Internet application
authorized by this section is separate from and in addition to a
municipal online message board or similar Internet application
authorized by Section 551.006.
(d) The use and administration of an online message board or
similar Internet application authorized by this section must comply
with the requirements of Section 551.006.
(e) A municipal governing body that authorizes use of an
online message board or similar Internet application under this
section shall require a municipal employee to monitor the message
board or application for compliance with this section and Section
551.006.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.