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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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Relating to the requirement that certain political subdivisions |
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cause certain information to be posted on an Internet website. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 403.0241(c), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) For each special purpose district described by |
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Subsection (b), the database must include: |
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(1) the name of the special purpose district; |
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(2) the name of each board member of the special |
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purpose district; |
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(3) contact information for the main office of the |
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special purpose district, including the physical address, the |
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mailing address, and the main telephone number; |
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(4) if the special purpose district employs a person |
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as a general manager or executive director, or in another position |
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to perform duties or functions comparable to those of a general |
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manager or executive director, the name of the employee; |
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(5) if the special purpose district contracts with a |
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utility operator, contact information for a person representing the |
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utility operator, including a mailing address and a telephone |
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number; |
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(6) if the special purpose district contracts with a |
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tax assessor-collector, contact information for a person |
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representing the tax assessor-collector, including a mailing |
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address and telephone number; |
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(7) the address of the special purpose district's |
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Internet website [address] if the district maintains an Internet |
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website or the Internet website or websites used by the district to |
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comply with Section 2051.153, Government Code, and Section 26.18, |
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Tax Code, if the district does not maintain an Internet website, if |
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any; |
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(8) the information the special purpose district is |
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required to report under Section 140.008(b) or (g), Local |
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Government Code, including any revenue obligations; |
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(9) the total amount of bonds authorized by the voters |
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of the special purpose district that are payable wholly or partly |
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from ad valorem taxes, excluding refunding bonds if refunding bonds |
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were separately authorized and excluding contract revenue bonds; |
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(10) the aggregate initial principal amount of all |
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bonds issued by the special purpose district that are payable |
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wholly or partly from ad valorem taxes, excluding refunding bonds |
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and contract revenue bonds; |
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(11) the rate of any sales and use tax the special |
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purpose district imposes; [and] |
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(12) for a special purpose district that imposes an ad |
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valorem tax: |
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(A) the ad valorem tax rate for the most recent |
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tax year if the district is a district as defined by Section 49.001, |
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Water Code; or |
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(B) the table of ad valorem tax rates for the most |
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recent tax year described by Section 26.16, Tax Code, in the form |
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required by that section, if the district is not a district as |
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defined by Section 49.001, Water Code; and |
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(13) a link to the Internet website described by |
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Section 49.062(g), Water Code, with a plain-language description of |
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how a resident may petition to require that board meetings of |
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certain special purpose districts be held not further than 10 miles |
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from the boundary of the district. |
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SECTION 2. Section 551.1283, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) A district shall provide links to Internet websites used |
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by the district to comply with Section 2051.153, Government Code, |
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and Section 26.18, Tax Code, on the district's Internet website if |
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the district maintains an Internet website. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 2051, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 2051.153 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2051.153. FINANCIAL AND OPERATING INFORMATION OF |
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SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS. (a) In this section, "special purpose |
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district" means a political subdivision of this state with |
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geographic boundaries that define the subdivision's territorial |
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jurisdiction. The term does not include a municipality, county, |
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junior college district, independent school district, or political |
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subdivision with statewide jurisdiction. |
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(b) This section applies only to a special purpose district |
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that: |
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(1) is authorized by the state by a general or special |
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law to impose an ad valorem tax; |
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(2) during the most recent fiscal year imposed an ad |
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valorem tax; |
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(3) during the most recent fiscal year: |
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(A) had bonds outstanding; |
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(B) had gross receipts from operations, loans, |
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taxes, or contributions in excess of $250,000; or |
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(C) had cash and temporary investments in excess |
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of $250,000; and |
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(4) at the beginning of the most recent fiscal year, |
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had a population of 500 or more people, as determined by the |
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governing body of the special purpose district. |
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(c) This section prevails over Sections 2051.151 and |
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2051.152. |
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(d) A special purpose district shall post or cause to be |
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posted on an Internet website the following information, if |
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applicable: |
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(1) the name of the special purpose district; |
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(2) the name of each member of the governing body of |
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the special purpose district; |
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(3) the term of office for each member of the governing |
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body of the special purpose district; |
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(4) contact information for the main office of the |
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special purpose district, including the physical address, the |
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mailing address, and the telephone number; |
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(5) if the special purpose district employs a person |
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as a general manager or executive director, or in another position |
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to perform duties or functions comparable to those of a general |
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manager or executive director, the name of the employee; |
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(6) if the special purpose district contracts with a |
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utility operator, contact information for a person representing the |
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utility operator, including a mailing address and the telephone |
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number; |
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(7) if the special purpose district contracts with a |
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tax assessor-collector, contact information for a person |
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representing the tax assessor-collector, including a mailing |
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address and the telephone number; |
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(8) the rate of the ad valorem tax of the special |
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purpose district; |
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(9) the rate of the sales and use tax of the special |
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purpose district, if the special purpose district imposes a sales |
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and use tax; |
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(10) any notice of tax hearing required to be given |
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pursuant to Chapter 26, Tax Code, or Section 49.236, Water Code; |
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(11) the regular location or locations of meetings of |
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the governing body of the special purpose district and the regular |
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schedule of meetings, if there is a regular schedule; |
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(12) a link to the Internet website described by |
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Section 49.062(g), Water Code; |
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(13) each notice of a meeting of the governing body of |
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the special purpose district under Subchapter C, Chapter 551, for |
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meetings conducted in the immediately prior and current calendar |
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years; |
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(14) the minutes of a public meeting of the governing |
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body of the special purpose district under Section 551.021 for |
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meetings conducted in the immediately prior and current calendar |
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years; and |
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(15) the most recent financial audit of the special |
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purpose district. |
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(e) A special purpose district may satisfy all or part of |
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the requirements of this section by linking or referencing to |
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another Internet website to the extent information required to be |
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posted is posted on such other Internet website. |
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SECTION 4. Section 49.0631, Water Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 49.0631. [MEETING] INFORMATION ON WATER BILL. A |
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district providing potable water or sewer service shall as a part of |
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the district's billing process include on a district's bill to a |
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customer the following statement: "For more information about the |
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district, including information about the district's board and |
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board meetings, please go to the Comptroller's Special Purpose |
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District Public Information Database or (district's Internet |
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website if the district maintains an Internet website or Internet |
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website or websites used by the district to comply with Section |
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2051.153, Government Code, and Section 26.18, Tax Code, if the |
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district does not maintain an Internet website)." The statement may |
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be altered to provide the current Internet website address of |
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[either] the database created under Section 403.0241, Government |
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Code, [or] the district, or website or websites used by the district |
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to comply with Section 2051.153, Government Code, and Section |
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26.18, Tax Code. |
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SECTION 5. Sections 2051.153(d)(13) and (14), Government |
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Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a meeting held on or after |
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the effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |