The bill amends the Government Code to enhance training requirements for attorneys and public officials regarding open meetings and public information laws. Specifically, it introduces a new subsection (a-1) to Section 551.005, mandating that attorneys employed to assist public officials or governmental bodies must complete training on their responsibilities within ten days of their engagement. Additionally, it stipulates that these attorneys cannot be compensated for the training time unless they are employees of the governmental body. Section 552.012 is also amended to clarify that public officials can designate a public information coordinator responsible for training, but this does not exempt them from their own training obligations.

Furthermore, the bill establishes deadlines for compliance with the training requirements. Attorneys assisting public officials or governmental bodies must complete their training by October 1, 2025, while public officials who previously relied on a coordinator for training must complete their training by January 1, 2026. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 551.005, Government Code 552.012 (Government Code 551, Government Code 552)