Senate version of Sunset bill for TCEQ. Monitor.

Companion is HB 1505 by Keith Bell

Sunset Bill for TCEQ

Companion is SB 1397 by Schwertner

Need to monitor, includes a committee substitute

Companion is HB 1609 by Hugh Shine

Need to monitor. Companion is SB 1487 by Bettencourt

Donnis: On its face, it appears to be simply a measure to give individual taxpayers a right to choose electronic communications with the tax office rather than written communication. I wonder, though, if the wording is loose enough to encourage a rogue tax official to maintain that it provides cover for using e-notices rather than public notices in a newspaper. Reid's response: I see your concern here, but I think it would be very difficult to argue that public notice falls under these provisions. The bill defines “communication” as something “required or permitted to be delivered” to a property owner. That “delivered” language appears several times throughout the bill. I suppose a rogue official could argue that a newspaper (containing public notices) gets delivered, but I think that would be a real stretch, since public notice is typically discussed in the context of publication, not delivery. And certainly not in the context of delivery to an individual, who could choose to receive that delivery electronically.

This bill would increase access to public information by eliminating some of the privileges that currently allow for withholding. The “basic information” piece would make clear that basic information about an incident (which the press has a right to) is not limited to just arrests and crimes, but would apply to incidents that don’t necessarily result in an arrest. The last section regarding “video” would ensure that audio recordings aren’t subject to the stricter standards for releasing body cams.

Companion is SB 1658 by Chuy Hinojosa

Contains public notice language. Amended committee sub retains public notice language.

Trying to get notices into the Eagle Pass newspaper. Amends Gov't Code 2051.0441, counties with no newspaper. Allows local government to name newspaper of record. Same bill was filed last session, but didn’t get a hearing.

3/15/23: Discussed HB 3117, a bill to fix the problem with Eagle Pass and Maverick County notices having to run in San Antonio Express-News, 140 miles away. The bill could present unintended consequences. We suggested they amend the bill to the language that Fannin County used to carve out an exception. Aaron will contact Leg. Council to see about amending. Yvonne will be our contact 512-463-2910.

3/21 Follow up with Yvonne, She is waiting on Leg. Council for committee substitute. Chief of Staff Aaron Gibson requested a carve out like Fannin County has.

Contains newspaper notice language,

Companion is SB 1457 by Zaffirini

Contains Newspaper Notice language

Companion is HB 3184 by Senfronia Thompson

Contains newspaper notice - Monitor for Amendments

Reid’s input: It looks like SB 985 does eliminate some newspaper notice regarding zoning changes. As Mike pointed out, this notice is currently required when a zoning change occurs within 200 feet of annexed property that doesn’t appear on a municipality’s tax roll. Instead of newspaper notice, a municipality could just send written notice to the most recent address on the tax roll. I’m not sure how often that comes into play.  

This bill does not change the underlying newspaper notice requirement for zoning regulations and district boundaries in Sec. 211.006(a): 

Sec. 211.006.  PROCEDURES GOVERNING ADOPTION OF ZONING REGULATIONS AND DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.  (a)  The governing body of a municipality wishing to exercise the authority relating to zoning regulations and zoning district boundaries shall establish procedures for adopting and enforcing the regulations and boundaries.  A regulation or boundary is not effective until after a public hearing on the matter at which parties in interest and citizens have an opportunity to be heard.  Before the 15th day before the date of the hearing, notice of the time and place of the hearing must be published in an official newspaper or a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality.

There is already some leeway given to municipalities in Sec. 211.007, regarding the manner of public notice when a zoning commission is involved:

(d)  The governing body of a home-rule municipality may, by a two-thirds vote, prescribe the type of notice to be given of the time and place of a public hearing held jointly by the governing body and the zoning commission.  If notice requirements are prescribed under this subsection, the notice requirements prescribed by Subsections (b) and (c) and by Section 211.006(a) do not apply.

Changes some notifications - monitor 

Targets sexual materials materials to minors on the Internet. Current language excludes news gathering organizations. 

Identical bill to HB 3585 by Teri Leo-Wilson 

Companion is SB 2164

Targets sexual materials materials to minors on the Internet. Current language excludes news gathering organizations. 

Identical bill to HB 3570 by Schatzline 

Companion is SB 2164

Need more info. This sets up a public database, but “deidentifies suspects on the database. Companion is SB 875 by West

3/21 met with Natoya who suggests we set up meeting w/ Andre Treiber, chief of staff to get better understanding of bill. Need to set appointment soon.

3/23 Met with folks from the Bail Project and the Texas ACLU. They explained that this bill will be useful for investigative reporters who are doing statistical analyses of bail practices, and that the aggregated “deidentified” data doesn’t endanger public access to identities of suspects through the usual normal channels.

We do not need to take a position

This sets up a public database, but “deidentifies suspects on the database. Companion is HB 2043 by Bowers.

3/23 Met with folks from the Bail Project and the Texas ACLU. They explained that this bill will be useful for investigative reporters who are doing statistical analyses of bail practices, and that the aggregated “deidentified” data doesn’t endanger public access to identities of suspects through the usual normal channels.

We do not need to take a position

This bill would increase access to public information by eliminating some of the privileges that currently allow for withholding. The “basic information” piece would make clear that basic information about an incident (which the press has a right to) is not limited to just arrests and crimes, but would apply to incidents that don’t necessarily result in an arrest. The last section regarding “video” would ensure that audio recordings aren’t subject to the stricter standards for releasing body cams.

Companion is HB 3334 by Canales.

Converts Comptroller's State Business Daily into the Electronic State Business Daily. Watch this one CLOSELY!

"Secure digital original" means an original digital deposition transcript in a readable format that cannot be altered, printed, or saved.

Targets sexual materials materials to minors on the Internet. Current language excludes news gathering organizations. Similar to HB 3570 and HB 3585.

Substitute retains exception for news gathering organizations