Billmonitor 2023

Click column title to sort by Bill Number, Status, Author, Date Updated, Type, Position or Priority.

Session Bill Number Read Bill Author Bill Status Updated Bill Type Position Priority Caption Body
88_R   HB 18 Read Bill Slawson, Shelby (R) Passed: Signed by Governor 6/13/23 2023.05.30 Business Monitor 3 Relating to the protection of minors from harmful, deceptive, or unfair trade practices in connection with the use of certain digital services.

This bill could potentially be stretched to apply to a newspaper, even though it is clearly intended to target companies like TikTok, Instagram, etc.

The definition of “digital service” here does seem broad enough to encompass almost any entity with a website. But the digital service also has to “target” or “know that the service appeals to minors.” The criteria for that is rather broad (animated characters,  activities for minors, models who are minors, ads intended for minors, etc.).

Under that criteria, it seems like some portions of a newspaper might apply – comics or a kids’ section, for instance. If a newspaper did qualify, this would subject them to certain requirements related to digital privacy and the collection of minors’ data.

While I think it’s unlikely this bill would come to bear on newspapers, the safest solution would be to get a provision added that specifically states it does not apply to them.

Committee sub reported favorably from committee
88_R   HB 1964 Read Bill Hernandez, Ana (D) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.01 Open Records Monitor 3 Relating to the release of a motor vehicle accident report to an employee or authorized representative of a vehicle storage facility.

Access to accident reports - since bill contains the current language that includes newspapers, we should monitor.
88_R   HB 2043 Read Bill Bowers, Rhetta (D) Failed: Bill Pronounced Dead by Procedural Action 2023.05.10 Open Records Monitor 3 Relating to a criminal justice system pretrial and sentencing database established by the Office of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System.

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
88_R   HB 215 Read Bill Johnson, Jarvis (D) Failed: Referred to Ways & Means 2023.02.23 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the total appraised value of the residence homesteads of certain elderly persons and their surviving spouses.

Current language retains existing 1/4-page public notice
88_R   HB 2165 Read Bill Guerra, Bobby (D) Failed: Committee Action Pending in Business & Industry 2023.04.24 Business Monitor 3 Relating to requirements for subscription service contracts.

Affects newspaper subscriptions that are on auto-renew. May want to oppose.
88_R   HB 2220 Read Bill Harrison, Brian (R) Failed: Referred to Ways & Means 2023.03.09 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the calculation of certain ad valorem tax rates of a taxing unit and the manner in which a proposed ad valorem tax rate that exceeds the voter-approval tax rate is approved.

Per Reid Pillifant: HB 220 Tweaks the text of the notice that’s required, but doesn’t alter where notice appears. Worth monitoring
88_R   HB 2221 Read Bill Harrison, Brian (R) Failed: Referred to Ways & Means 2023.03.09 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the vote required in an election to approve an ad valorem tax rate that exceeds a taxing unit's voter-approval tax rate.

Per Reid Pillifant: HB 2221 just changes the percentage required to approve a tax rate (from a majority to 60 percent). Suggests we monitor. 
88_R   HB 2371 Read Bill Turner, Chris (D) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.05.23 Public Notice Support 2 Relating to the disposition of burial spaces and abandoned plots in certain cemeteries in the possession and control of a municipality.

Good newspaper notice language introduced.

TPA registered card of support for bill on 3/2823
88_R   HB 2436 Read Bill Frazier, Frederick (F) (R) Failed: House Calendar for 5/11 2023.05.09 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the sale of bonds by certain special purpose districts.

Adds a newspaper notice. Monitor for amendments
88_R   HB 2457 Read Bill Lozano, Jose (R) Failed: Referred to Urban Affairs 2023.03.13 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to notice requirements for certain municipal fees and the process to adopt a municipal budget that includes the use of revenue from those fees.

Go see author and see if we can add Newspaper Notice to the bill. Note that he is calling for a website notice with email notification which our statewide site can provide.
88_R   HB 2475 Read Bill Hunter, Todd (R) See SB 1032 by Kolkhorst (Passed) 2023.03.13 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to oyster certificates of location and the closure of oyster beds.

A Todd Hunter bill that ELIMINATES a newspaper notice in favor of placing a news release on a governmental agency’s website. Need to take up the issue with him - could be a drafting mistake. Companion is SB 1032 by Kolkhorst. Talk to her after Hunter.

2/28: Per Hunter’s suggestion Donnis spoke with David Eichler with TPWD and he’s fine with a committee sub on HB 2475 maintaining the existing newspaper notice requirement AND the press release they wanted to add on oyster bed closures. Eichler is going to notify Kolkhorst’s office. We will continue to monitor.
88_R   HB 2519 Read Bill Thompson, Senfronia (D) Failed: Referred to Homeland Security & Public Safety 2023.03.13 Open Records Monitor 3 Relating to law enforcement misconduct and law enforcement interactions with certain detained or arrested individuals and other members of the public, to public entity liability.

Pro-transparency section, but for the most part this will be seen as an anti-law enforcement bill. We shouldn't be associated with it. Let's monitor. 
88_R   HB 2666 Read Bill Campos, Liz (D) Failed: Referred to Ways & Means 2023.03.13 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that a school district may impose on the residence homestead of an individual and the surviving spouse.

Current language retains existing 1/4-page notice provisions
88_R   HB 2730 Read Bill Rosenthal, Jon (D) Failed: House Passed, withdrawn from Senate Local Calendar 2023.05.24 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the adoption and amendment of an annual budget by certain emergency services districts.

Retains current newspaper notice. Need to monitor
88_R   HB 2805 Read Bill Leo-Wilson, Terri (F) (R) Failed: Committee Action Pending in House Corrections 2023.04.24 Public Notice Monitor 3 Failed: Relating to the consideration of certain information by a parole panel in determining whether to release an inmate on parole.

Contains new newspaper notice language. Watch for amendments

Companion is SB 1067
88_R   HB 2841 Read Bill Rogers, Glenn (R) Failed: Referred to Public Education 2023.03.14 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the use of average enrollment for purposes of the public school finance system.

Retains current language - 1/4 page legal notice

Same as HB 31, HB 1376, and SB 263
88_R   HB 2863 Read Bill Leo-Wilson, Terri (F) (R) Failed: Referred to State Affairs 2023.03.14 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to publication of certain notices on the Internet website of a newspaper.

3/5/23 We met with Saul Mendoza in Leo-Wilson’s office. Reminded him of our previous meeting regarding HB 2863 and that he was supposed to encourage Leo-Wilson to visit with Hunter about the statewide notice bill (HB 2178).
88_R   hb 2911 Read Bill Metcalf, Will (R) Failed: Referred to Natural Resources 2023.03.14 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to approval by voters prior to the issuance of revenue bonds by the San Jacinto River Authority.

Refiled from last session (HB 4576). Adds a newspaper notice. 
88_R   HB 31 Read Bill Hinojosa, Gina (D) Failed: Referred to Public Education 2023.02.23 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the use of average enrollment for purposes of the public school finance system.

Retains current language - 1/4 page legal notice

Same as HB 1376, 2841 and SB 263

 
88_R   HB 3109 Read Bill Hernandez, Ana (D) Failed: Licensing and Administrative Procedures 2023.03.17 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to provision of notice by a vehicle storage facility through a Texas Department of Motor Vehicles electronic system.

Changes some notifications - monitor