BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2073

By: Johnson, Eric

Government Transparency & Operation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that restrictions on the types of newspapers that may publish certain government notices prevent certain communities, including minority communities, from being better informed. H.B. 2073 seeks to help ensure that all Texans are well-informed of notices from governmental entities and representatives and to encourage governmental entities or representatives to publish notices in minority-owned publications when feasible.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2073 amends the Government Code to remove the requirement that the newspaper in which a certain government notice is published be entered as second-class postal matter in the county where published. The bill requires a governmental entity or representative that publishes a notice in a newspaper, to encourage the development of minority-owned businesses in Texas, to consider selecting a newspaper that is a minority-owned business if a substantial percentage of the individuals residing in the area where the notice is to be published are members of one or more minority groups and a newspaper in the area where the notice is to be published is both a minority-owned business and widely circulated in that area. The bill provides for the meanings of "minority-owned business" and "minority group" by reference to provisions of the Natural Resources Code dealing with minority-owned businesses.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.