H.B. No. 3711 introduces new provisions to enhance the investigation of open meetings offenses under Chapter 551 of the Government Code. It mandates that law enforcement agencies submitting reports of probable cause for such offenses to district attorneys must also send a copy of the report to the open records division of the attorney general's office. Additionally, upon request from the attorney general, these agencies are required to provide any non-public information related to the investigation. The bill also allows district attorneys to seek assistance from the open records division in their investigations and requires them to disclose their decisions regarding prosecution or termination of investigations on their websites, including the reasons for such decisions.

Furthermore, the open records division is empowered to assist law enforcement agencies and attorneys in investigating offenses under Chapter 551, and it can request any relevant non-public information from them. This legislation aims to improve transparency and accountability in the handling of open meetings offenses by ensuring that relevant information is shared among law enforcement, prosecutors, and the attorney general's office. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 411.0252 (Government Code 411)
House Committee Report: Government Code 411.0252, Government Code 411.0253, Government Code 411.0254 (Government Code 411)
Engrossed: Government Code 411.0252, Government Code 411.0253, Government Code 411.0254 (Government Code 411)
Senate Committee Report: (Government Code 411)
Enrolled: (Government Code 411)