Bill Text: TX SB639 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to remote meetings under the open meetings law.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-11 - Referred to Business & Commerce [SB639 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB639-Introduced.html
87R5552 JON-D | ||
By: Menéndez | S.B. No. 639 |
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relating to remote meetings under the open meetings law. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 551.125, Government Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: | ||
(g) Without regard to whether a member of the governmental | ||
body is participating in a meeting from a remote location by | ||
telephone conference call, a governmental body may allow a member | ||
of the public to speak at a meeting from a remote location by | ||
telephone conference call. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 551.127, Government Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsections (a-3), (b), (d), (e), and (k) and adding | ||
Subsection (l) to read as follows: | ||
(a-3) A member of a governmental body who participates in a | ||
meeting by videoconference call shall be considered absent from any | ||
portion of the meeting during which audio or video communication | ||
with the member is lost or disconnected. The governmental body may | ||
continue the meeting only if members in a number sufficient to | ||
constitute a quorum of the body remain audible and visible to each | ||
other and, during the open portion of the meeting, to the public | ||
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(b) A meeting may be held by videoconference call only if | ||
the member of the governmental body presiding over the meeting is | ||
physically present at the location specified under Subsection | ||
(e)(1) [ |
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(d) A meeting held by videoconference call is subject to the | ||
notice requirements applicable to other meetings except as | ||
otherwise provided by Subsection (e) [ |
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(e) The notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference | ||
call must: | ||
(1) specify as the location of the meeting the | ||
location where the member of the governmental body presiding over | ||
the meeting will be physically present; | ||
(2) indicate that the meeting will be held by | ||
videoconference call under this section; | ||
(3) list each physical location where members of the | ||
public may observe or participate in the meeting, including: | ||
(A) any location that is open to the public where | ||
a member of the governmental body intends to participate in the | ||
meeting; and | ||
(B) any facility provided by the governmental | ||
body for members of the public to observe or speak at the meeting; | ||
(4) include access information for both audio-only and | ||
audiovisual feeds of the meeting; and | ||
(5) if applicable, include instructions for a member | ||
of the public to speak at the meeting from a remote location or | ||
while physically present at a location described by Subdivision (3) | ||
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(k) Without regard to whether a member of the governmental | ||
body is participating in a meeting from a remote location by | ||
videoconference call, a governmental body may allow a person to | ||
speak [ |
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location by videoconference call. | ||
(l) The location where the member of the governmental body | ||
presiding over the meeting is physically present shall be open to | ||
the public during the open portions of the meeting. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 33.256(b), Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b) Section 551.125, Government Code, applies to a meeting | ||
held by conference call under this section[ |
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SECTION 4. Section 81.406(b), Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(b) The task force may meet telephonically in accordance | ||
with Section 551.125 [ |
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SECTION 5. Section 116.006(b), Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(b) Section 551.125, Government Code, applies to a meeting | ||
held by conference call under this section[ |
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SECTION 6. Section 117.056(b), Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(b) To ensure appropriate representation from all areas of | ||
this state, the committee may meet by videoconference or telephone | ||
conference call. A meeting held by videoconference or telephone | ||
conference call under this subsection must comply with the | ||
requirements applicable to a telephone conference call under | ||
Sections 551.125(c), (d), (e), and (f), Government Code. Section | ||
551.127, Government Code, does [ |
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SECTION 7. Section 120.054(b), Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(b) Section 551.125, Government Code, applies to a meeting | ||
held by conference call under this section[ |
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SECTION 8. Section 3.01(j), Article 6243a-1, Revised | ||
Statutes, is amended to read as follows: | ||
(j) The board has full power to make rules pertaining to the | ||
conduct of its meetings and to the operation of the pension system | ||
as long as its rules are not, subject to Subsections (j-1) and (j-2) | ||
of this section, inconsistent with the terms of this article, any | ||
pension plan within the pension system, or the laws of this state or | ||
the United States to the extent applicable. A board meeting may be | ||
held by telephone conference call or by videoconference call in | ||
accordance with Sections 551.125 and 551.127, Government Code[ |
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SECTION 9. Sections 551.125(b) and 551.127(c), Government | ||
Code, are repealed. | ||
SECTION 10. 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. |