| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to publication of notice requirements for certain |
|
|
governmental entities and representatives. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 2051.044(a), Government Code, is amended |
|
|
to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The newspaper in which a notice is published must: |
|
|
(1) devote not less than 25 percent of its total column |
|
|
lineage to general interest items; |
|
|
(2) be published at least once each week; and |
|
|
(3) [be entered as second-class postal matter in the
|
|
|
county where published; and
|
|
|
[(4)] have been published regularly and continuously |
|
|
for at least 12 months before the governmental entity or |
|
|
representative publishes notice. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 2051.049, Government Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 2051.049. SELECTION OF NEWSPAPER. (a) The |
|
|
governmental entity or representative required to publish a notice |
|
|
in a newspaper shall select, in accordance with this subchapter, |
|
|
one or more newspapers to publish the notice. |
|
|
(b) To encourage the development of minority-owned |
|
|
businesses in this state, a governmental entity or representative |
|
|
that publishes a notice in a newspaper under Section 2051.044 shall |
|
|
consider selecting a newspaper that is a minority-owned business |
|
|
if: |
|
|
(1) 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 |
|
|
(2) a newspaper in the area where the notice is to be |
|
|
published: |
|
|
(A) is a minority-owned business; and |
|
|
(B) is widely circulated in that area. |
|
|
(c) In this section, "minority-owned business" and |
|
|
"minority group" have the meanings assigned by Section 161.131(c), |
|
|
Natural Resources Code. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 2051.044(a), Government Code, as amended |
|
|
by this Act, and Section 2051.049(b), Government Code, as added by |
|
|
this Act, apply only to a publication of notice first published on |
|
|
or after the effective date of this Act. A publication of notice |
|
|
published before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
|
|
law in effect at the time of the publication, and the former law is |
|
|
continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |