Bill Text: TX SB520 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a priority system for consideration by state governmental entities of oral or written public comments received from certain persons.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-02-03 - Referred to Business & Commerce [SB520 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-SB520-Introduced.html
| 89R624 CJC-F | ||
| By: Middleton | S.B. No. 520 | |
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| relating to a priority system for consideration by state | ||
| governmental entities of oral or written public comments received | ||
| from certain persons. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 5, Government Code, is amended | ||
| by adding Chapter 561 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 561. PUBLIC COMMENT POLICY | ||
| Sec. 561.0001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "state | ||
| governmental entity" has the meaning assigned by Section 554.001, | ||
| except that the term does not include the legislature. | ||
| Sec. 561.0002. PUBLIC COMMENT PRIORITY POLICY REQUIRED. | ||
| Each state governmental entity shall adopt a policy implementing a | ||
| priority system for consideration of oral or written public | ||
| comments received by the entity in response to a matter for which | ||
| the entity is required or authorized by law to solicit public | ||
| comment. | ||
| Sec. 561.0003. CONTENT OF POLICY. A policy adopted by a | ||
| state governmental entity under this chapter must require the | ||
| entity, when considering solicited public comments, to: | ||
| (1) assign first priority to public comments received | ||
| from individuals who are: | ||
| (A) residents of this state; and | ||
| (B) directly affected by the matter for which the | ||
| comment is received; | ||
| (2) assign second priority to public comments received | ||
| from individuals who are: | ||
| (A) residents of this state; and | ||
| (B) not otherwise described by Subdivision (1); | ||
| (3) assign third priority to public comments received | ||
| from business entities and nonprofit organizations whose principal | ||
| places of business are located in this state; and | ||
| (4) assign fourth priority to public comments received | ||
| from: | ||
| (A) individuals who are not residents of this | ||
| state; and | ||
| (B) business entities and nonprofit | ||
| organizations whose principal places of business are not located in | ||
| this state. | ||
| Sec. 561.0004. EFFECT OF PRIORITY ASSIGNMENT ON | ||
| CONSIDERATION OF PUBLIC COMMENT. A public comment described by | ||
| Section 561.0003(4) that is received by a state governmental | ||
| entity: | ||
| (1) may be entered into the official record of the | ||
| proceeding at which the comment is received by the entity; and | ||
| (2) may not: | ||
| (A) be considered by the entity in relation to | ||
| any business pending before the entity; or | ||
| (B) form the basis for a delay in consideration | ||
| of any business pending before the entity. | ||
| SECTION 2. Each state governmental entity to which Chapter | ||
| 561, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies shall adopt a | ||
| policy implementing a priority system for consideration of oral or | ||
| written public comments received by the entity as required by that | ||
| chapter not later than December 31, 2025. | ||
| SECTION 3. 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. | ||
