Everman officials review new state laws affecting audit timing, meeting notices and firefighter screenings

City staff told the Everman City Council on June 24 that multiple bills passed during the 89th Texas Legislature will require changes to city policy and practices, including deadlines that affect the city’s budget calendar and meeting schedule.

Staff highlighted Senate Bill 1851, effective Sept. 1, which requires municipalities to complete annual audits or financial statements within 180 days of fiscal‑year end. “The 180‑day mark has to be filed with the city secretary,” the City Manager said. He and the finance director explained the requirement could force earlier audit delivery or require different filings if the audit is not complete. Staff said they have already engaged the city’s auditors to discuss timetables and possible contract changes.

Council members discussed House Bill 1522, effective Sept. 1, which changes open‑meeting notice calculations so that weekends are not counted. Staff said the new rule requires posting meeting notices three business days before a meeting; for Tuesday meetings that effectively moves posting to the prior Wednesday. The City Manager and councilmembers discussed options to comply, including holding one regular meeting per month instead of two, adopting a formal work‑session structure, or keeping two meetings and using special meetings when time‑critical items arise. Several councilmembers said they prefer moving to a single monthly meeting, acknowledging meetings would likely be longer.

Staff also flagged House Bill 15 22 (firefighter screening) and related measures: the council was told that cities must now offer occupational cancer screening to firefighters at no cost in the fifth year of employment and annually thereafter. “This is a great bill,” the City Manager said, while also noting it creates a new fiscal obligation the city will need to budget for.

Other legislative items noted in the briefing included an increase in the competitive bid threshold (effective Sept. 1) and a change allowing code enforcement officers in training to perform enforcement where no registered code officer is employed. Staff said they will bring recommended policy updates to the council for formal adoption and have begun scheduling those changes to align with the city’s budget process.

Council members asked staff to bring observed operational impacts back to a future meeting. The council tentatively agreed to shift regular meetings to the second Tuesday of each month beginning after the budget cycle and to revisit the schedule formally in September to align with the new statutory effective dates.