HB 5 (Ashby/Nichols) relating to the expansion of broadband services to certain areas. HB 5 would create the Broadband Development Office (BDO) within the Comptroller’s Office which would be required to establish a program to award grants, low interest loans, and other financial incentives to applicants for the purpose of expanding access to and adoption of broadband service in eligible designated areas. The bill was sent to the Governor on 5/31
The BDO would be required to publish a map by Sept. 1, 2022 classifying areas of the state as eligible or ineligible for BDO incentives. The BDO would need to update this map annually with new classifications.
Additionally, the bill creates a new Broadband Development Account to be used for administering the BDO, creating or updating the map, creating or updating the state broadband plan, or engaging in outreach to communities regarding the expansion and adoption of broadband service and the programs administered by the office.
HB 362 (Sherman) relating to the authority of a county to require electronic bids or proposals for competitive bidding. HB 362 allows county commissioners courts to require contractors submit proposals electronically, so long as the county makes the necessary technology available. The bill was signed by the Governor on 5/15 and is effective immediately.
HB 1118 (Capriglione) relating to state agency and local government compliance with cybersecurity training requirements. HB 1118 aligns state and local government cybersecurity training and tracks compliance in training completion. The bill was signed by the Governor on 5/18 and is effective immediately.
HB 1382 (Bucy/Hughes) requires the secretary of state to provide to each early voting clerk an online tool that enabled a person who submitted an application for a ballot to vote by mail to track the location and status of the application and ballot on the websites of the secretary and, if applicable, the county. An amendment by the Senate requires for each election there be a record of each application for a ballot by mail received by the clerk, each carrier envelope sent by the clerk which must be assigned a serially numbered and sequentially issued barcode or tracking number unique to each envelope. The bill was sent to the Governor on 5/26.
HB 2152 (Meyer/Nichols) amends Transportation Code, Chapter 502, to authorize a person who is otherwise eligible to renew a vehicle registration under that chapter to renew the registration through an online registration system maintained by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV). The bill was signed by the Governor on 6/3 and will be effective 9/1/21.
HB 3390 (E Thompson) relating to the purchase of cybersecurity insurance coverage by the Texas Department of Transportation. HB 3390 authorizes TxDOT to purchase insurance coverage to protect against liability, revenue and property losses that may result from a data breach or cyber attack. The bill was signed by the Governor on 5/24 and is effective immediately.
SB 507 (Nichols/Hinojosa) would require the Texas Transportation Commission by rule to establish an accommodation process that authorized broadband-only providers to use state highway rights-of-way, subject to highway purposes. The bill was sent to the Governor on 5/29.
SB 538 (Blanco) relating to information technology purchased through the Department of Information Resources. SB 538 expands agency ability to purchase commodity items already negotiated under DIR cooperative contracts and allows for renegotiating of contract terms. The bill was signed by the Governor on 5/24 and will be effective 9/1/2021.