Texas Association of Broadcasters

05/12/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/12/2025 11:43

Critical Texas House Bill Deadlines Loom This Week in Austin

posted on 5.12.2025

It's "make or break week" for House bills in the Texas House of Representatives that have not yet made it to the upper chamber. House bills not voted out of House committee have already died including those in the House Calendars Committee that did not make the last House calendar of bills printed and distributed Tuesday night.

House bills currently on a House calendar face a Thursday night deadline to have their second reading vote before midnight. This could impact two Texas Sunshine Coalition bills on Open Government issues on House calendars this week, HB 4990 and HB 4991 by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg.

HB 4990 would require the Attorney General's office to operate a toll-free open records hotline to assist Texans in the procedure to request information under the Texas Public Information Act. It also creates a written complaint process for requesters to use with the Attorney General's office in instances in which the requestor believes that the government agency has failed to provide information in compliance with the law. The Attorney General's office will review the complaints with the agency involved and issue a written response to both the agency and the complaining requestor.

HB 4991 would require attorney training in the Texas Open Meetings Act and the Texas Public Information Act by lawyers advising government agencies about that agency's responsibilities under the laws.

Three of the Coalition's priority bills have already made the trek to the upper chamber and one of them had its hearing Tuesday before the Senate Business and Commerce Committee. HB 4219 by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake. The bill's Senate sponsor is Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo.

Existing law does not require governments to notify requestors that an agency doesn't have information that satisfies a TPIA request. Requestors are left to wonder what's happened to their TPIA request. HB 4219 mandates governmental agencies to make that notification within 10 business days of the request. TAB Newsroom Legislative Committee member Rachel Clow of KRIS-TV Corpus Christi testified in support of the measure.

Two other bills advocated by the Coalition are awaiting their hearings before the same committee. HB 3719 by Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, would disclose dates of birth in public records to ensure individuals can be properly identified. This is particularly important in criminal justice system records when common names are often involved. DOBs also help lenders, employers, background check companies and other businesses obtain accurate information and avoid misidentifying people who have common names. Disclosing DOBs on applications filed by candidates for public office also helps the public properly identify and better understand who is on the ballot.

HB 2248 by Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, addresses a problem faced by some who file a lawsuit seeking access to records under the Texas Public Information Act. If a requestor must resort to a civil lawsuit to force the release of information, the requestor should be able to recover attorneys' fees if they prevail. Texas appellate court decisions have made that difficult, allowing governments to hand over documents at the last minute - after months of costly litigation - and avoid paying any fees. HB 2248 would ensure the attorneys' fees option exists, bringing the TPIA in line with federal law by clarifying the fees provision and allowing requestors to file for a declaratory judgment.

There are a little less than three weeks left in the 89th Texas Legislature. TAB will have legislative updates on these Open Government bills as developments occur.

Questions? Contact TAB's Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944.

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