Bill Text: TX HB136 | 2025 | 89th Legislature 2nd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to training requirements for certain public officials and candidates for public office.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 3)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-08-15 - Filed [HB136 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB136-Introduced.html
| By: Leo Wilson | H.B. No. 136 | |
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| relating to training requirements for certain public officials and | ||
| candidates for public office. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Sections 11.159(c-1) and (d), Education Code, | ||
| are amended to read as follows: | ||
| (c-1) The agency shall, for the training required by | ||
| Subsections (b-2) and (c): | ||
| (1) provide the training; and | ||
| (2) certify the completion of the training by a | ||
| trustee or candidate for trustee [ |
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| (d) A trustee or candidate for trustee may complete training | ||
| required under Subsections (b-2) and [ |
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| education service center [ |
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| SECTION 2. Section 74.025, Government Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 74.025. EDUCATION PROGRAMS. The court of criminal | ||
| appeals shall, if adequate funding is available for education | ||
| programs for judges and court personnel, ensure that adequate | ||
| education programs are available through an institution of higher | ||
| education or the State Bar of Texas on an equitable basis for judges | ||
| and court personnel of courts created under the constitution and | ||
| laws of this state. | ||
| SECTION 3. Sections 418.005(d) and (e), Government Code, | ||
| are amended to read as follows: | ||
| (d) The division may provide the training and may also | ||
| approve any acceptable course of training provided [ |
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| governmental body [ |
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| that at least one course of training approved or provided by the | ||
| division is available on videotape or a functionally similar and | ||
| widely available medium at no cost. | ||
| (e) The division or governmental body [ |
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| providing the training shall provide a certificate of course | ||
| completion to a person who completes the training required by this | ||
| section. A person who completes the training required by this | ||
| section shall maintain and make available for public inspection the | ||
| record of the person's completion of the training. | ||
| SECTION 4. Sections 551.005(b) and (c), Government Code, | ||
| are amended to read as follows: | ||
| (b) The attorney general shall ensure that the training is | ||
| made available. The office of the attorney general may provide the | ||
| training and may also approve any acceptable course of training | ||
| offered by a governmental body [ |
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| general shall ensure that at least one course of training approved | ||
| or provided by the attorney general is available on videotape or a | ||
| functionally similar and widely available medium at no cost. The | ||
| training must include instruction in: | ||
| (1) the general background of the legal requirements | ||
| for open meetings; | ||
| (2) the applicability of this chapter to governmental | ||
| bodies; | ||
| (3) procedures and requirements regarding quorums, | ||
| notice, and recordkeeping under this chapter; | ||
| (4) procedures and requirements for holding an open | ||
| meeting and for holding a closed meeting under this chapter; and | ||
| (5) penalties and other consequences for failure to | ||
| comply with this chapter. | ||
| (c) The office of the attorney general or other governmental | ||
| body [ |
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| course completion to persons who complete the training required by | ||
| this section. A governmental body shall maintain and make | ||
| available for public inspection the record of its members' | ||
| completion of the training. | ||
| SECTION 5. Sections 552.012(d) and (e), Government Code, | ||
| are amended to read as follows: | ||
| (d) The attorney general shall ensure that the training is | ||
| made available. The office of the attorney general may provide the | ||
| training and may also approve any acceptable course of training | ||
| offered by a governmental body [ |
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| general shall ensure that at least one course of training approved | ||
| or provided by the attorney general is available on videotape or a | ||
| functionally similar and widely available medium at no cost. The | ||
| training must include instruction in: | ||
| (1) the general background of the legal requirements | ||
| for open records and public information; | ||
| (2) the applicability of this chapter to governmental | ||
| bodies; | ||
| (3) procedures and requirements regarding complying | ||
| with a request for information under this chapter; | ||
| (4) the role of the attorney general under this | ||
| chapter; and | ||
| (5) penalties and other consequences for failure to | ||
| comply with this chapter. | ||
| (e) The office of the attorney general or other governmental | ||
| body [ |
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| course completion to persons who complete the training required by | ||
| this section. A governmental body shall maintain and make | ||
| available for public inspection the record of its public officials' | ||
| or, if applicable, the public information coordinator's completion | ||
| of the training. | ||
| SECTION 6. Section 2063.102(b), Government Code, as | ||
| effective September 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows: | ||
| (b) To be certified under Subsection (a), a cybersecurity | ||
| training program must: | ||
| (1) focus on forming appropriate cybersecurity habits | ||
| and procedures that protect information resources; [ |
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| (2) teach best practices and minimum standards | ||
| established under this subchapter; and | ||
| (3) be provided by a state agency or local government. | ||
| SECTION 7. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended | ||
| by adding Section 180.014 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 180.014. OFFICER CONTINUING EDUCATION TRAINING | ||
| REQUIREMENTS. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a member of the | ||
| governing body of a municipality, a member of a school board, an | ||
| elected county officer, or an individual appointed to fill a | ||
| vacancy in an elective county office is not required to attend or | ||
| complete any continuing education training required for the office. | ||
| (b) This section does not affect the requirements for | ||
| training related to any occupational license. | ||
| SECTION 8. Section 6.231(c), Tax Code, is amended to read as | ||
| follows: | ||
| (c) Continuing education required by this section must be: | ||
| (1) approved by the comptroller; and | ||
| (2) provided by the comptroller [ |
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| accredited institution of higher education, including an | ||
| institution that is a part of or associated with an accredited | ||
| institution of higher education, such as the V. G. Young Institute | ||
| of County Government. | ||
| SECTION 9. The following provisions are repealed: | ||
| (1) Section 418.005(g), Government Code; | ||
| (2) Section 2063.102(c), Government Code; | ||
| (3) Section 81.0025, Local Government Code; | ||
| (4) Section 83.003, Local Government Code; and | ||
| (5) Section 84.0085, Local Government Code. | ||
| SECTION 10. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
| of this Act, the State Board of Education shall modify all rules | ||
| that are inconsistent with the changes in law made by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 11. Section 11.159, Education Code, Sections | ||
| 418.005, 551.005, 552.012, and 2063.102, Government Code, and | ||
| Section 6.231, Tax Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to | ||
| training conducted on or after the effective date of this Act. | ||
| Training conducted before the effective date of this Act is | ||
| governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date | ||
| of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
| SECTION 12. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the | ||
| last day of the legislative session. | ||
