TITLE: Relating to the establishment and use of a written electronic communications system accessible to the public by certain municipal entities.

SUMMARY: Relating to the establishment and use of a written electronic communications system accessible to the public by certain municipal entities.

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