Bill Text: TX SB916 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to quorums and meetings by teleconference of the Texas Bioenergy Policy Council and the Texas Bioenergy Research Committee.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-14 - Effective immediately [SB916 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB916-Enrolled.html
S.B. No. 916 |
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relating to quorums and meetings by teleconference of the Texas | ||
Bioenergy Policy Council and the Texas Bioenergy Research | ||
Committee. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subsection (e), Section 50D.011, Agriculture | ||
Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
(e) Subject to Section 50D.017, the [ |
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subject to Chapters 551 and 2001, Government Code. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 50D, Agriculture Code, is | ||
amended by adding Sections 50D.016 and 50D.017 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 50D.016. QUORUM. A quorum of the policy council | ||
consists of not less than half of the members of the policy council. | ||
A member who participates in a meeting by telephone conference | ||
call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method | ||
may be counted to establish a quorum. | ||
Sec. 50D.017. MEETING BY TELECONFERENCE. | ||
(a) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any other | ||
law, the policy council may hold an open or closed meeting by | ||
telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
telecommunication method if: | ||
(1) notice is given for the meeting as for other | ||
meetings; | ||
(2) the notice specifies a location for the meeting at | ||
which the public may attend; | ||
(3) each part of the meeting that is required to be | ||
open to the public is audible to the public at the location | ||
specified in the notice of the meeting; and | ||
(4) the meeting is recorded by electronic or other | ||
means and the recording of each portion of the meeting that is | ||
required to be open to the public is made available to the public. | ||
(b) A member of the policy council may participate by | ||
telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
telecommunication method in a policy council meeting at which other | ||
members are physically present and may vote. | ||
SECTION 3. Subsection (e), Section 50D.021, Agriculture | ||
Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
(e) Subject to Section 50D.026, [ |
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subject to Chapters 551 and 2001, Government Code. | ||
SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 50D, Agriculture Code, is | ||
amended by adding Sections 50D.025 and 50D.026 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 50D.025. QUORUM. A quorum of the research committee | ||
consists of not less than half of the members of the research | ||
committee. A member who participates in a meeting by telephone | ||
conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
telecommunication method may be counted to establish a quorum. | ||
Sec. 50D.026. MEETING BY TELECONFERENCE. | ||
(a) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any other | ||
law, the research committee may hold an open or closed meeting by | ||
telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
telecommunication method if: | ||
(1) notice is given for the meeting as for other | ||
meetings; | ||
(2) the notice specifies a location for the meeting at | ||
which the public may attend; | ||
(3) each part of the meeting that is required to be | ||
open to the public is audible to the public at the location | ||
specified in the notice of the meeting; and | ||
(4) the meeting is recorded by electronic or other | ||
means and the recording of each portion of the meeting that is | ||
required to be open to the public is made available to the public. | ||
(b) A member of the research committee may participate by | ||
telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
telecommunication method in a research committee meeting at which | ||
other members are physically present and may vote. | ||
SECTION 5. 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, 2013. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 916 passed the Senate on | ||
March 27, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 916 passed the House on | ||
May 17, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 134, Nays 0, two | ||
present not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |