Technology (Government Transparency)

SB 2067 creates an exemption for government entities from publicly disclosing next of kin information of deceased individuals. It amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to exclude this information from mandatory public disclosure under Texas' public information laws (Chapter 552), while still allowing disclosure via subpoena or other legal authority. This bill directly affects government offices, hospitals, and funeral homes that handle public records requests. The exemption applies to requests received on or after the bill's effective date (September 1, 2025, unless passed with a two-thirds vote for immediate effect).

HB 4952 protects certain fraud detection and deterrence information from public disclosure under Texas law. It makes specific materials - including risk assessments, fraud investigation reports, data protocols, and investigative techniques - confidential and exempt from standard public records requests. This applies directly to state and local government agencies that handle fraud prevention. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and aims to prevent public disclosure of methods used to detect or deter fraud.

HB 2615 requires Texas municipalities and counties to post public improvement district service plans and assessment documents on their official public websites within seven days of approval or updates. It directly affects local governments that manage public improvement districts, which fund infrastructure projects like roads or parks through property assessments. Key provisions mandate posting service plans (including required notice forms) online and submitting assessment rolls to appraisal districts in electronic format, showing parcel-level assessments, annual amounts, and installment details. These changes aim to increase transparency by making district funding information publicly accessible online. The bill does not change assessment amounts or eligibility but standardizes how local governments share this information.

SB 2485 expands Texas' open meetings law to require more government entities to broadcast and archive their meetings online. It adds new covered entities like school districts with 10,000+ students, large municipalities (50,000+ population), and certain special districts to the existing list. The bill mandates these bodies must stream meetings live on their websites and maintain accessible archives. This applies to 15 specific types of boards and commissions, including water supply corporations, workforce boards, and housing authorities, as defined in the amended law.

HB 4218 amends Texas public information law to improve access to electronic government records. It defines "electronic public information" as searchable or sortable spreadsheets or databases, requiring government agencies to provide such records in the requested format (e.g., searchable/ sortable) using their standard software, or as a paper printout. Agencies cannot refuse to share electronic records by claiming it would require extra work to format them, as long as their systems support standard export methods like ASCII. This ensures the public can access government data in usable electronic form without unnecessary barriers.

HB 4289 requires Texas election authorities (such as county clerks) to make candidates' ballot applications and campaign treasurer appointment filings publicly available online within 10 business days of receipt. This applies to all election code chapters covering ballot applications (Chapters 142, 143, 144, 172, 181) and treasurer appointments (Chapter 252). The bill directly affects election offices, which must implement the online posting, and the public, who gains faster access to this information. It does not change eligibility requirements or campaign finance rules, only the timeline for public disclosure of existing filings. The law takes effect September 1, 2025.