86R7602 BEF-D
 
  By: Fallon S.B. No. 848
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to persons allowed to record meetings of house and senate
  committees.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 306, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Section 306.008 to read as follows:
         Sec. 306.008.  RECORDING OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS. (a) Except
  as otherwise provided by this section, any person in attendance at
  an open meeting of a house or senate committee, including a public
  hearing, may make an audio or visual recording of the meeting. 
         (b)  A person may record a committee meeting held on the
  floor of the house or senate chamber from a location accessible to
  the person.
         (c)  A person may not record a committee meeting in a manner
  that disrupts the meeting or unreasonably obstructs the view of
  other persons attending the meeting. The presiding officer of a
  meeting may enforce this subsection but may not prohibit a person
  from recording an open meeting in a nondisruptive manner.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.