Legislature produces mixed bag of open government bills
The 80th Legislative Session came to a close May 28 and as with many recent sessions it produced some gains and losses in open government legislation.
Two bills that Texas newspapers fought this session and in the past, concealed handgun permit confidentiality and the sealing of search warrant affidavits, were approved.
The Free Flow of Information Act was killed on a point of order in the House. But, voters will have a chance this fall to require the Legislature to record its votes on final passage.
Of the two other bills newspapers were pushing, shining more light on school superintendent selection failed while lowering the age of direct sellers of newspapers passed.
Two particularly bad bills pertaining to public notice (SB 1812 and SB 1758) were killed after considerable effort by publishers and editors.
For a complete list of all the bills newspapers tracked this session, view the Online Bill Watch.
Below is a list of good and bad bills from the session:
appraisal districts subject to OMA criminal violation
resets newspaper sellers minimum age to 16
creating searchable state funding database
accurate reporting of gifts or cash
notice to media in declared emergency
infection rates at health care institutions
notice to media via fax and email
regional mobility authorities subject to OMA
constitutional amendment record votes on final passage
online posting agency expenditures
grand jury info confidential only for term
HB 2249 by Van Arsdale/Ellis-Duncan 966
journalists’ qualified testimonial privilege [shield]
HB 2775 by Gattis/Carona 1374
access, posting TransTexas Corridor info
requiring House & Senate to comply w/ OMA
mandatory real estate sales price disclosure
toll project information and notices
notice of municipal charter anticipated fiscal impact
public notice of superintendent finalists
HB 991 by Rose/Deuell 122
concealed handgun licenses confidential
HB 1042 by Pena/Hegar 636
crime victim claimants compensation info
HB 1237 by Farabee/Hegar 514
lawyer personal info opt out
up front charge before complying w/ PIA request
HB 2618 by Guillen/Zaffirini 1868
no bid notice for government property lease
HB 2754 by Anchia/Fraser 1545
kills notice on bank merger or conversion
SB 244 by Williams/Riddle 1011
search warrant affidavits confidential 31 days
SB 596 by Wentworth/Turner 699
state land sale prices confidential until final
SB 657 by Seliger/Puente 1033
water district bid threshold increase to $25K
SB 1619 by Lucio/Morrison 3825
unemployment compensation info confidential
SB 1765 by Watson/Martinez-Fischer 3506
raises threshold of municipal contracts to $50K
allowing advisory boards closed meetings on personnel
allowing medical board profile expungement
confidential criminal history
law enforcement info confidential Holmes v. Morales
state employees DOB confidential
DPS accident report forms confidential 1 month
state employees DOB confidential
HB 1591 by Rose/Wentworth 661
kills open meeting requirement local water district
expanding charges for public information
list of circumstances to close appraisal review board hearings
competitive bid notices reduced to one publication
certificates of obligation competitive bids by alternate means
HB 3767 by Keffer/Duncan 1848
DOB confidential for current and former state employees
state employees DOB confidential
allowing cumulative charges to information requestors
evaluation info re higher education chancellor or president
kills publication of notice of property tax rate if rate unchanged
gives government bodies notice option with online vendor
makes confidential audit working papers of school districts
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