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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the type of newspaper required for publication of |
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public notices. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2051.044, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), the [The] |
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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; |
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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 for |
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at least 12 months before the governmental entity or representative |
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publishes notice. |
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(a-1) In lieu of publishing a notice in a newspaper under |
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Subsection (a), a governmental entity may publish a notice in a |
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digital newspaper if that digital newspaper: |
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(1) has an audited paid-subscriber base; |
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(2) has been in business for at least three years; |
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(3) employs staff in the jurisdiction of the |
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governmental entity; |
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(4) reports on local events and governmental |
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activities in the jurisdiction of the governmental entity; |
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(5) provides news of general interest to people in the |
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jurisdiction of the governmental entity; and |
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(6) updates its news at least once each week. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |