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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment and use of a written electronic |
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communications system accessible to the public by certain municipal |
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entities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 551.006(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Section 551.0061, a [A] |
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governmental body may have no more than one online message board or |
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similar Internet application to be used for the purposes described |
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in Subsection (a). The online message board or similar Internet |
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application must be owned or controlled by the governmental body, |
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prominently displayed on the governmental body's primary Internet |
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web page, and no more than one click away from the governmental |
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body's primary Internet web page. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 551, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 551.0061 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 551.0061. WRITTEN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS |
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ACCESSIBLE TO PUBLIC FOR CERTAIN MUNICIPAL ENTITIES. (a) The |
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governing body of a municipality by ordinance or resolution may |
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authorize a commission or other entity organized under Subchapter |
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A, Chapter 211, Local Government Code, to establish and use an |
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online message board or similar Internet application for the |
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purposes described in Section 551.006(a). |
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(b) A governing body adopting an ordinance or resolution |
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under this section may authorize use of the online message board or |
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similar Internet application for a period of not longer than two |
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years, and may reauthorize use of the message board or application |
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in the same manner and for the same period as many times as the |
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governing body determines is appropriate. The governing body may |
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rescind an ordinance or resolution adopted under this section at |
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any time. |
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(c) An online message board or similar Internet application |
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authorized by this section is separate from and in addition to a |
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municipal online message board or similar Internet application |
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authorized by Section 551.006. |
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(d) The use and administration of an online message board or |
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similar Internet application authorized by this section must comply |
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with the requirements of Section 551.006. |
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(e) A municipal governing body that authorizes use of an |
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online message board or similar Internet application under this |
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section shall require a municipal employee to monitor the message |
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board or application for compliance with this section and Section |
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551.006. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |