Bill Text: TX HB3727 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the online publication of information by certain special purpose districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-09 - Comm. report sent to Local & Consent Calendar [HB3727 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB3727-Comm_Sub.html
86R28140 JXC-D | |||
By: Swanson | H.B. No. 3727 | ||
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3727: | |||
By: Stickland | C.S.H.B. No. 3727 |
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relating to the online publication of information by certain | ||
special purpose districts. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 403.0241, Government Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(b) The comptroller shall create and make accessible on the | ||
Internet a database, to be known as the Special Purpose District | ||
Public Information Database, that contains information regarding: | ||
(1) all special purpose districts of this state that: | ||
(A) [ |
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general or special law to impose an ad valorem tax or a sales and use | ||
tax, to impose an assessment, or to charge a fee; and | ||
(B) [ |
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(i) [ |
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(ii) [ |
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operations, loans, taxes, or contributions in excess of $250,000; | ||
or | ||
(iii) [ |
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investments in excess of $250,000; and | ||
(2) all emergency services districts and municipal | ||
utility districts with a population of more than 100. | ||
(c-1) In addition to the requirements of Subsection (c), the | ||
entry for each emergency services district and municipal utility | ||
district in the database must include: | ||
(1) an indication of how a person may contact a | ||
specified person or address to obtain: | ||
(A) contact information for board members; and | ||
(B) meeting agendas and minutes; | ||
(2) the term of each board member; and | ||
(3) information provided to the comptroller under | ||
Section 775.046(c), Health and Safety Code, or Section 54.244(c), | ||
Water Code, as applicable. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 775, Health and Safety | ||
Code, is amended by adding Section 775.046 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 775.046. ONLINE PUBLICATION. (a) In this section, | ||
"comptroller database" means the Special Purpose District Public | ||
Information Database established under Section 403.0241, | ||
Government Code. | ||
(b) This section applies only to a district with a | ||
population of more than 100. | ||
(c) In addition to information a district is required to | ||
provide to the comptroller under Section 403.0241, Government Code, | ||
and Section 203.062, Local Government Code, the district annually | ||
shall provide to the comptroller for inclusion in the comptroller | ||
database: | ||
(1) an indication of whether the district's | ||
commissioners are appointed or elected; | ||
(2) if the district's commissioners are elected: | ||
(A) an indication of the month in which the | ||
district's regular elections take place; | ||
(B) instructions for becoming a candidate to be | ||
elected as a commissioner, including any relevant deadlines for | ||
filing required documents; and | ||
(C) instructions for obtaining the results of | ||
district elections; and | ||
(3) if the district's commissioners are appointed, a | ||
description of the appointment process and the person or body that | ||
has appointing authority. | ||
(d) A district shall maintain: | ||
(1) an Internet website; or | ||
(2) an Internet domain name that: | ||
(A) includes a form of the name of the district; | ||
and | ||
(B) directs a user to the district's entry in the | ||
comptroller database. | ||
(e) If the district maintains an Internet website, the board | ||
shall ensure that the following items are posted on the Internet | ||
website and that the items required under Subdivisions (3), (4), | ||
and (5) are updated on the district's Internet website at least 90 | ||
days before the date of an election held by the district: | ||
(1) a link to the district's entry in the comptroller | ||
database; | ||
(2) the name and term of each commissioner; | ||
(3) the information described by Subsections | ||
(c)(1)-(3); | ||
(4) the district's tax rate; | ||
(5) the district's budget; and | ||
(6) meeting agendas and minutes. | ||
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Water Code, is amended | ||
by adding Section 54.244 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 54.244. ONLINE PUBLICATION. (a) In this section, | ||
"comptroller database" means the Special Purpose District Public | ||
Information Database established under Section 403.0241, | ||
Government Code. | ||
(b) This section applies only to a district with a | ||
population of more than 100. | ||
(c) In addition to information a district is required to | ||
provide to the comptroller under Section 403.0241, Government Code, | ||
and Section 203.062, Local Government Code, the district annually | ||
shall provide to the comptroller for inclusion in the comptroller | ||
database: | ||
(1) an indication of whether the district's directors | ||
are appointed or elected; | ||
(2) if the district's directors are elected: | ||
(A) an indication of the month in which the | ||
district's regular elections take place; | ||
(B) instructions for becoming a candidate to be | ||
elected as a director, including any relevant deadlines for filing | ||
required documents; and | ||
(C) instructions for obtaining the results of | ||
district elections; and | ||
(3) if the district's directors are appointed, a | ||
description of the appointment process and the person or body that | ||
has appointing authority. | ||
(d) A district shall maintain: | ||
(1) an Internet website; or | ||
(2) an Internet domain name that: | ||
(A) includes a form of the name of the district; | ||
and | ||
(B) directs a user to the district's entry in the | ||
comptroller database. | ||
(e) If the district maintains an Internet website, the board | ||
shall ensure that the following items are posted on the Internet | ||
website and that the items required by Subdivisions (3), (4), and | ||
(5) are updated on the district's Internet website at least 90 days | ||
before the date of an election held by the district: | ||
(1) a link to the district's entry in the comptroller | ||
database; | ||
(2) the name and term of each director; | ||
(3) the information described by Subsections | ||
(c)(1)-(3); | ||
(4) the district's tax rate; | ||
(5) the district's budget; and | ||
(6) meeting agendas and minutes. | ||
(f) A district shall provide a link to the Internet website | ||
or the Internet domain name required under Subsection (d): | ||
(1) on the first page of each bill sent to a customer; | ||
and | ||
(2) in a prominent location on each electronic bill or | ||
receipt sent to a customer. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |