SRC-LBB C.S.S.B. 750 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 750
By: Madla
State Affairs
3/26/2003
Committee Report (Substituted)

DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, a state agency or political subdivision of the state with
responsibility for publishing a public notice is not required to publish
the notice in Spanish in a Spanish-language newspaper. 
C.S.S.B. 750 requires a state agency or political subdivision of the state
to publish any notice required under Chapter 4, Election Code, Chapter
551, Government Code, or any other law, to publish the notice in certain
Spanish-language newspapers.  This publication requirement is in addition
to any other notice required by law. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Title 5A, Government Code,  by adding Chapter 560, as
follows: 

CHAPTER 560.  PUBLICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICES IN SPANISH-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

Sec. 560.001.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "public notice" and "Spanish-language
newspaper." 

Sec. 560.002.  PUBLICATION IN SPANISH-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER BY STATE AGENCY
OR OFFICER.  Requires a state agency or a state officer or employee with
responsibility for publishing a public notice to publish the notice in
Spanish in a Spanishlanguage newspaper of general circulation in each
county in which the agency, officer, or employee is required to publish
the public notice, more than 50 percent of the population is of Hispanic
origin, and there is a Spanish-language newspaper of general circulation. 

Sec. 560.003.  PUBLICATION IN SPANISH-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER BY POLITICAL
SUBDIVISION.  (a)  Provides that this section applies only to a political
subdivision, other than a county, any portion of which is located in a
county in which more than 50 percent of the population is of Hispanic
origin or a county in which more than 50 percent of the population is of
Hispanic origin. 

(b)  Requires a political subdivision or an officer or employee of a
political subdivision with responsibility for publishing a public notice
to publish the notice in Spanish in a Spanish-language newspaper of
general circulation in each county in which the political subdivision is
located and in which there is a Spanishlanguage newspaper of general
circulation. 

Sec. 560.004.  NOTICE IN ADDITION TO NOTICE REQUIRED UNDER OTHER LAW.
Provides that notice published under this chapter is in addition to notice
required by other law. 

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.
 
SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.  Amends As Filed S.B. 750, proposed Section 560.001, Government
Code, to redefine "public notice" by specifying that the notice be
published in a newspaper.