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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to meetings of the board of directors of the Gulf Coast |
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Authority. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 2.07, Chapter 409, Acts of the 61st |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 1969, is amended by amending |
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Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), and (h) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The board shall meet regularly as necessary [at least |
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once each month, and may meet at any other time provided in its |
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bylaws]. |
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(d) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, Chapter |
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49, Water Code, or any other law, the board may hold an open or |
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closed meeting by telephone conference call, videoconference, or |
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other similar telecommunication method. The board may use a |
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telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar |
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telecommunication method for purposes of establishing a quorum, for |
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voting, or for any other meeting purpose. |
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(e) A meeting held by telephone conference call, |
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videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method is |
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subject to the notice requirements applicable to other board |
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meetings. |
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(f) The notice of a meeting to be held by telephone |
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conference call, videoconference, or other similar |
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telecommunication method must include: |
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(1) a toll-free telephone number that members of the |
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public may use to hear and, if applicable, speak at the meeting; |
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(2) free-of-charge access information for any |
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audiovisual or audio-only feeds; and |
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(3) instructions for a member of the public to speak at |
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the meeting from a remote location. |
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(g) If the board prepares an agenda packet or other |
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materials that would have been distributed to members of the public |
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at a face-to-face meeting, the board shall make the packet or other |
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materials available electronically. |
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(h) A meeting held by telephone conference call, |
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videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method shall |
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be recorded. The recording shall be made available to the public. |
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The board shall maintain a copy of the recording for at least one |
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year after the date of the hearing. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |