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 3492 Read Bill Stucky, Lynn (R) Sent to Governor 2023.05.24 Public Notice Monitor 0 Relating to county and municipal authority to impose certain value-based fees and require disclosure of certain information related to subdivision construction.

3/15/23: Reviewed HB 3492 again. The bill requires counties and municipalities to disclose information related to subdivision construction online. If no website, then publish it in the newspaper. The requirement is new, no newspaper notice is removed in the bill. The bill actually increases transparency.

We removed the bill from our list.

 

 
88_R   SB 2056 Read Bill Hinojosa, Chuy (D) See companion HB 4844 sent to governor 2023.05.24 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the use of a broker for the sale of real property by the Nueces County Hospital District.

Contains newspaper notice - Monitor

Companion is HB 4844
88_R   HB 4012 Read Bill Kitzman, Stan (F) (R) Signed by Governor 2023.05.26 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the administration of the electronic state business daily.

Converts Comptroller's State Business Daily into the Electronic State Business Daily. Watch this one CLOSELY!
88_R   SB 498 Read Bill Johnson, Nathan (D) Vetoed by Governor 2023.05.29 Business Monitor 3 Relating to the operation of statewide technology centers.

The Department of Information Resources:

(c) The department by rule shall specify the services a statewide technology center may provide.
88_R   SB 1768 Read Bill Creighton, Brandon (R) Signed by Governor 2023.05.29 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the correction or removal of certain obsolete provisions of the Property Code.

Contains newspaper notice - Monitor

Companion HB 3422
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 4835 Read Bill Metcalf, Will (R) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.01 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the creation and operations of certain health care provider participation programs.

Creates newspaper notice for hearing

Committee sub retains newspaper notice
88_R   HB 4611 Read Bill Price, Four (R) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 4/1/2025 2023.06.12 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the nonsubstantive revision of the health and human services laws governing the Health and Human Services Commission, Medicaid, and other social services.

Contains newspaper notice - monitor
88_R   HB 3191 Read Bill Spiller, David (R) Signed by Governor 2023.06.13 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the elections and operations of certain hospital districts.

Contains newspaper notice - Monitor for Amendments
88_R   SB 372 Read Bill Huffman, Joan (R) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.18 Open Records Monitor 3 Relating to creating a criminal offense for the unauthorized disclosure of non-public judicial opinions and judicial work product.

We need to monitor this one. It would make leaking a court document a misdemeanor.

Companion is HB 1741 by Leach
88_R   SB 1056 Read Bill Hinojosa, Chuy (D) Passed: Filed without signature by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.18 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the directors and administration of the Hidalgo County Water Improvement District No. 3; creating a criminal offense.

Contains new newspaper notice language. Watch for amendments
88_R   SB 1397 Read Bill Schwertner, Charles (R) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.18 Business Monitor 3 Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Senate version of Sunset bill for TCEQ. Monitor.

Companion is HB 1505 by Keith Bell
88_R   HB 3273 Read Bill Thierry, Shawn (D) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.18 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to public notice of the availability on the Internet of property-tax-related information.

Contains public notice language. Amended committee sub retains public notice language.
88_R   HB 3699 Read Bill Wilson, Terry (R) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.18 Public Notice Monitor 0 Relating to municipal regulation of subdivisions and approval of subdivision plans or plats.

3/15/23 Reviewed HB 3699 again. We concluded that the bill does not remove any current newspaper notice, but rather increases transparency in municipal approval of subdivision plans by putting certain documentation online.

We removed bill from our list.
88_R   SB 1670 Read Bill Lamantia, Morgan (F) (D) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.18 Open Records Support 2 Relating to required boating incident reports.

Bill increases transparency and allows newspapers access to boating incident reports.

Signed card of support
88_R   HB 4844 Read Bill Herrero, Abel (D) Passed: Filed without signature by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.18 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the use of a broker for the sale of real property by the Nueces County Hospital District.

Contains Newspaper Notice - Monitor
Committee sub retains newspaper notice.
Companion SB 2056
88_R   SB 2370 Campbell, Donna (R) Passed: Signed by Governor, effective 9/1/23 2023.06.18 Public Notice Monitor 3 Relating to the provision of emergency services in Comal County Water Improvement District No. 3.

Contains newspaper notice - monitor

Amendments add bracketing, but retain notice.