Bill Text: TX HB3253 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to meetings held by certain conservation and reclamation districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-05-17 - Received from the House [HB3253 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB3253-Engrossed.html
87R23429 SGM-F | ||
By: Jetton | H.B. No. 3253 |
|
||
|
||
relating to meetings held by certain conservation and reclamation | ||
districts. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 49.064, Water Code, is amended to read as | ||
follows: | ||
Sec. 49.064. MEETINGS. (a) The board shall hold such | ||
regular and special meetings as may be necessary for the proper | ||
conduct of the district's business. Except as otherwise provided | ||
by this section, all [ |
||
accordance with the open meetings law, Chapter 551, Government | ||
Code. A meeting of a committee of the board, or a committee | ||
composed of representatives of more than one board, where less than | ||
a quorum of any one board is present is not subject to the | ||
provisions of the open meetings law, Chapter 551, Government Code. | ||
(b) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, including | ||
Sections 551.125, 551.127, and 551.131 of that code, or any other | ||
law, the board may hold an open or closed meeting by telephone | ||
conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
telecommunication method. The board may use a telephone conference | ||
call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method | ||
for purposes of establishing a quorum, for voting, or for any other | ||
meeting purpose. | ||
(c) A meeting held by telephone conference call, | ||
videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method is | ||
subject to the notice requirements applicable to other board | ||
meetings. | ||
(d) The notice of a meeting to be held by telephone | ||
conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
telecommunication method must include: | ||
(1) a toll-free telephone number or free-of-charge | ||
access information for any audiovisual or audio-only feeds that | ||
members of the public may use to hear and, if applicable, speak at | ||
the meeting; and | ||
(2) instructions for a member of the public on how to | ||
use a remote access method described by Subdivision (1) to speak at | ||
the meeting from a remote location. | ||
(e) If the board prepares an agenda packet or regular | ||
written reports that would have been distributed to members of the | ||
public at a face-to-face meeting, the board shall make the packet | ||
and any reports available electronically. | ||
(f) If the board holds a meeting by telephone conference | ||
call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method, | ||
the board shall make a recording of the meeting with clear audio | ||
quality. The board shall make the recording available to the public | ||
for at least one year after the date of the meeting. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |