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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to publication of notice requirements for certain |
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governmental entities and representatives. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2051.044(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The newspaper in which a notice is published must: |
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(1) devote not less than 25 percent of its total column |
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lineage to general interest items; |
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(2) be published at least once each week; and |
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(3) [be entered as second-class postal matter in the
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county where published; and
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[(4)] have been published regularly and continuously |
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for at least 12 months before the governmental entity or |
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representative publishes notice. |
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SECTION 2. Section 2051.049, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 2051.049. SELECTION OF NEWSPAPER. (a) The |
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governmental entity or representative required to publish a notice |
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in a newspaper shall select, in accordance with this subchapter, |
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one or more newspapers to publish the notice. |
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(b) To encourage the development of minority-owned |
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businesses in this state, a governmental entity or representative |
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that publishes a notice in a newspaper under Section 2051.044 shall |
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consider selecting a newspaper that is a minority-owned business |
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if: |
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(1) a substantial percentage of the individuals |
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residing in the area where the notice is to be published are members |
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of one or more minority groups; and |
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(2) a newspaper in the area where the notice is to be |
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published: |
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(A) is a minority-owned business; and |
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(B) is widely circulated in that area. |
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(c) In this section, "minority-owned business" and |
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"minority group" have the meanings assigned by Section 161.131(c), |
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Natural Resources Code. |
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SECTION 3. Section 2051.044(a), Government Code, as amended |
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by this Act, and Section 2051.049(b), Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, apply only to a publication of notice first published on |
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or after the effective date of this Act. A publication of notice |
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published before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
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law in effect at the time of the publication, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |