HB4991 - Relating to open meetings and public information training for certain public officials and attorneys regarding the open meetings and public information laws.

  89R3588 GP-F     By: Canales H.B. No. 4991       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to open meetings and public information training for   certain public officials and attorneys regarding the open meetings   and public information laws.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 551.005, Government Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:           (a-1)     An attorney employed or engaged to assist a public   official or governmental body in administering the   responsibilities of the public official or governmental body under   this chapter shall complete the training required by this section.     The attorney must complete the training regarding the   responsibilities of the governmental body and of its officers and   employees under this chapter not later than the 10th day after the   date the attorney is employed or engaged to assist the public   official or governmental body with those responsibilities.   An   attorney may not be compensated by a governmental body for the time   required to take and complete the training unless the attorney is an   employee of the governmental body.          SECTION 2.  Section 552.012, Government Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as   follows:          (c)  A public official may designate a public information   coordinator to be [ to satisfy the training requirements of this   section for the public official if the public information   coordinator is ] primarily responsible for administering the   responsibilities of the public official or governmental body under   this chapter. Designation of a public information coordinator   under this subsection does not relieve a public official from the   duty to comply with this section or any other requirement of this   chapter that applies to the public official. The designated public   information coordinator shall complete the training course   regarding the responsibilities of the governmental body with which   the coordinator serves and of its officers and employees under this   chapter not later than the 90th day after the date the coordinator   assumes the person's duties as coordinator.           (c-1)     An attorney employed or engaged to assist a public   official, public information coordinator, or governmental body in   administering the responsibilities of the public official, public   information coordinator, or governmental body under this chapter   shall complete the training required by this section.   The attorney   must complete the training regarding the responsibilities of the   governmental body and its officers and employees under this chapter   not later than the 10th day after the date the attorney is employed   or engaged to assist the public official, public information   coordinator, or governmental body with those responsibilities.   An   attorney may not be compensated by a governmental body for the time   required to take and complete the training unless the attorney is an   employee of the governmental body.          SECTION 3.  (a) Each attorney described by Section   551.005(a-1), Government Code, as added by this Act, who assists a   public official or governmental body in administering the   responsibilities of the public official or governmental body under   Chapter 551 of that code on the effective date of this Act must   complete the course of training required by Section 551.005 of that   code on or before October 1, 2025.          (b)  Each attorney described by Section 552.012(c-1),   Government Code, as added by this Act, who assists a public   official, public information coordinator, or governmental body in   administering the responsibilities of the public official, public   information coordinator, or governmental body under Chapter 552 of   that code on the effective date of this Act must complete the course   of training required by Section 552.012 of that code on or before   October 1, 2025.          (c)  A public official serving on the effective date of this   Act who has not previously completed the training required by   Section 552.012, Government Code, because the public official   previously designated a public information coordinator to complete   the training requirements for the public official must complete the   training required by Section 552.012, Government Code, as amended   by this Act, on or before January 1, 2026.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.