Bill Text: TX HB1028 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to certain political subdivisions publishing required notices by alternative media.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB1028 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB1028-Introduced.html
| 89R3128 MP-D | ||
| By: Shaheen | H.B. No. 1028 | |
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| relating to certain political subdivisions publishing required | ||
| notices by alternative media. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 2051, Government Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subchapter C-1 to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER C-1. NOTICE BY PUBLICATION IN MEDIA OTHER THAN | ||
| NEWSPAPER BY CERTAIN POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS | ||
| Sec. 2051.081. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only | ||
| to a political subdivision with a population of 75,000 or less and | ||
| in which there is no newspaper of general circulation. If no | ||
| population is specified for a political subdivision in the federal | ||
| decennial census, the population of the political subdivision is | ||
| the population determined by the attorney general for purposes of | ||
| this section. | ||
| Sec. 2051.082. NOTICE BY ALTERNATIVE MEDIA. (a) A | ||
| political subdivision may satisfy a requirement in any other law to | ||
| provide notice by publication in a newspaper by publishing the | ||
| notice: | ||
| (1) by media described by Subsection (d); and | ||
| (2) for a continuous period of not less than two weeks | ||
| in a prominent location on an Internet website maintained by the | ||
| political subdivision that does not require user registration or | ||
| payment for access. | ||
| (b) A political subdivision that publishes notice on an | ||
| Internet website under Subsection (a)(2) must ensure that: | ||
| (1) the Internet website and the notices are | ||
| searchable; and | ||
| (2) a user is able to search the notices by: | ||
| (A) subject matter; | ||
| (B) the location required to be provided in the | ||
| notice under the other laws that require notice by publication in a | ||
| newspaper; and | ||
| (C) both subject matter and location. | ||
| (c) Before providing notice by an alternative method under | ||
| Subsection (a), a political subdivision must hold a public meeting | ||
| about the alternative notice method. | ||
| (d) The following forms of media are authorized for | ||
| providing notice under Subsection (a)(1): | ||
| (1) social media; | ||
| (2) free newspapers; | ||
| (3) school newspapers; | ||
| (4) a homeowners' association newsletter or magazine; | ||
| (5) utility bills; | ||
| (6) direct mailings; and | ||
| (7) a print or digital newsletter. | ||
| (e) A political subdivision that provides notice using | ||
| alternative media under this section shall submit notice to the | ||
| attorney general describing the alternative notice method that | ||
| includes: | ||
| (1) a list of the other laws requiring notice by | ||
| publication in a newspaper for which notice published under this | ||
| section is an alternative; | ||
| (2) a description of the alternative media used for | ||
| the notice; and | ||
| (3) a link to the Internet website maintained by the | ||
| political subdivision where the public notice will be posted. | ||
| (f) After receipt of the notice under Subsection (e), the | ||
| attorney general shall promptly publish on the attorney general's | ||
| Internet website a list of political subdivisions that provide | ||
| notice as described by this subchapter. | ||
| Sec. 2051.083. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. The attorney general | ||
| may adopt rules necessary to administer this subchapter. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
