Bill Text: TX HB3253 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
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-Introduced.html
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-Introduced.html
By: Jetton | H.B. No. 3253 |
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relating to operations of Districts created under the Texas Water | ||
Code, Title 4, Chapter 49, Subchapter A. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 49.151, Water Code, is amended to read as | ||
follows: | ||
Sec. 49.151. EXPENDITURES. (a) Except as hereinafter | ||
provided, a district's money may be disbursed only by check, draft, | ||
order, or other instrument that shall be signed by at least a | ||
majority of the directors. | ||
(b) The board may by resolution allow the general manager, | ||
treasurer, bookkeeper, or other employee of the district to sign | ||
disbursements. | ||
(c) The board may by resolution allow disbursements of | ||
district money to be transferred by federal reserve wire system or | ||
by Automated Clearing House (ACH) or other electronic means. The | ||
board by resolution may allow the wire or electronic transfers to | ||
accounts in the name of the district or vendors or other authorized | ||
accounts not in the name of the district. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 49.064, Water Code, is amended to read as | ||
follows and adding subsections (b), (c), and (d) 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. All meetings shall be | ||
conducted in 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, 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. This subsection applies without regard to the | ||
subject matter discussed or considered by the board at the meeting. | ||
(c) A meeting held by telephone conference call, | ||
videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method: | ||
(1) is subject to the notice requirements applicable | ||
to other board meetings; | ||
(2) may not be held unless notice of the meeting | ||
specifies the location of the meeting at which at least one director | ||
will be physically present; and | ||
(3) during the open portions of the meeting, must be | ||
open and audible to the public at the location specified in the | ||
notice under Subdivision (2). | ||
(d)(i) In this section, "catastrophe" means a condition or | ||
occurrence that interferes physically with the ability of a board | ||
to conduct a meeting or requires a quorum of the board to be present | ||
to protect the property of the district or provide for public | ||
safety, including: | ||
(1) fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, or | ||
wind, rain, or snow storm; | ||
(2) power failure, transportation failure, or | ||
interruption of communication facilities; | ||
(3) epidemic; or | ||
(4) riot, civil disturbance, enemy attack, or other | ||
actual or threatened act of lawlessness or violence. | ||
(ii) In the event of a catastrophe, the | ||
board may meet at the site of the catastrophe or other location and | ||
is not subject to the notice or posting provisions of the open | ||
meetings law, Chapter 551, Government Code. | ||
(iii) If a meeting is held under the | ||
exception granted in this section, the board shall post a notice of | ||
the meeting and actions taken at the meeting as required for regular | ||
board meetings within seven business days of the meeting or with the | ||
posting for the next scheduled meeting of the board, whichever is | ||
the earlier date. | ||
SECTION 4. 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. |