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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to references to "taxpayer money" in state documents, |
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publications, and notices. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 2051, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter G to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER G. STATE DOCUMENT REFERENCES TO TAXPAYER MONEY |
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Sec. 2051.251. REFERENCES TO TAXPAYER MONEY. (a) A state |
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official or state agency that, in an official document, |
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publication, or notice published or issued in print or on a publicly |
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accessible Internet web page, undertakes to refer to money |
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originating from taxes that is held by this state, a state agency, |
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or a state official and may be used only for a public purpose of this |
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state may not refer to that money by a term or phrase other than the |
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phrase "taxpayer money" except as provided by this section. The |
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official or agency shall use the phrase "taxpayer money" instead of |
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other common terms or phrases for money described by this |
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subsection, including: |
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(1) government funds; |
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(2) government money; |
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(3) public funds; |
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(4) public money; |
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(5) state funds; and |
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(6) state money. |
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(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a reference to money |
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this state holds in trust for the benefit of a person other than |
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this state or a governmental entity of this state. |
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(c) Subsection (a) does not apply to a legislative document |
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or publication, including: |
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(1) a bill, a resolution, an analysis of a bill or |
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resolution, or a description of the contents of one of those types |
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of documents, that is used or may be used in the legislative |
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process; |
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(2) a state statute; and |
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(3) the Texas Constitution. |
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(d) Subsection (a) does not apply to a document concerning, |
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or a publication of, state agency rules that for reasons of legal |
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clarity must rely on phrasing used in state statutes or the Texas |
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Constitution. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |