By: Kolkhorst S.B. No. 1062

(In the Senate - Filed February 3, 2025; February 24, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Local Government; March 24, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 24, 2025, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1062 By: Paxton

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the type of newspaper required for publication of public notices.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 2051.0441, Government Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), the [The] newspaper in which a notice is published under this section must:

(1) devote not less than 20 percent of its total column lineage to general interest items;

(2) be published at least once each week;

(3) be entered as periodical postal matter in the county where published or have a mailed or delivered circulation of at least 51 percent of the residences 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.

(b-1) In lieu of publishing a notice in a newspaper under Subsection (b), a governmental entity may publish a notice in a digital newspaper if that digital newspaper:

(1) has an audited paid-subscriber base;

(2) has been in business for at least three years;

(3) employs staff in the jurisdiction of the governmental entity;

(4) reports on local events and governmental activities in the jurisdiction of the governmental entity;

(5) provides news of general interest to people in the jurisdiction of the governmental entity; and

(6) updates its news at least once each week.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

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