Panel weighs HB 1522 to extend local-government posting time and require budgets online and in print

The Senate Committee on Business & Commerce considered House Bill 1522, a measure intended to increase transparency in local government budgeting by lengthening public-posting timelines and requiring clearer public access to proposed budgets.

Sponsor remarks said local governments often post meeting notices 72 hours in advance, which can mean Friday postings for early-week meetings and leave little time for public review. “House Bill 15 22 changes the posting rule to be 3 business days before the scheduled date of the meeting,” the sponsor said, and the bill would require a physical copy of the budget at meetings and that the budget be made clearly accessible on the government body's website when it is to be discussed or adopted.

John Benura of the Texas Public Policy Foundation supported the bill as a tool to improve taxpayer engagement and protect progress on property-tax relief. “This helps protect the progress that has been made … to provide tax relief to Texans,” Benura said.

Amanda Brownson of the Texas Association of School Business Officials testified with concerns tied to a House amendment. She said local governments discuss budgets year-round and asked the committee to narrow posting triggers to occasions when a budget is being adopted rather than discussed, to clarify that the posted document is the proposed budget and to reconsider the applicability of the taxpayer-impact statement trigger for school districts because school finance operates differently.

Committee members acknowledged the points and discussed possible refinements; the committee closed public testimony and left the bill pending.