bill requiring open government training for government lawyers

The text as introduced · 663 words

89R3588 GP-F

By: Johnson
S.B. No. 1295

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.