| 1 | 1 | | 81R11803 JRD-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Strama H.B. No. 3298 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the requirement to post notice of the subject of a |
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| 8 | 8 | | meeting under the open meetings law as it relates to informal |
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| 9 | 9 | | discussion of a social, ceremonial, or community event. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 551, Government Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 551.0415 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 551.0415. INFORMAL DISCUSSION OF SOCIAL, CEREMONIAL, |
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| 14 | 14 | | OR COMMUNITY EVENT. (a) Notwithstanding Sections 551.041 and |
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| 15 | 15 | | 551.042, a quorum of a governmental body may informally discuss a |
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| 16 | 16 | | social, ceremonial, or community event during a meeting without |
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| 17 | 17 | | having given notice of the subject of the discussion as required by |
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| 18 | 18 | | this subchapter if: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) the informal discussion concerns matters |
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| 20 | 20 | | unrelated to public business conducted by the governmental body; |
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| 21 | 21 | | and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) the quorum of the governmental body complies with |
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| 23 | 23 | | Section 551.042 with regard to any public business incidental to |
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| 24 | 24 | | the social, ceremonial, or community event that arises during the |
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| 25 | 25 | | discussion. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (b) The following matters are considered unrelated to |
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| 27 | 27 | | public business for purposes of Subsection (a)(1): |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) expressions of condolence; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (2) a reminder about an upcoming event sponsored by |
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| 30 | 30 | | the governmental body; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (3) an honorary or salutary recognition of a public |
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| 32 | 32 | | official, public employee, or other citizen, except that a |
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| 33 | 33 | | discussion regarding a change in the status of a person's public |
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| 34 | 34 | | office or public employment is not an honorary or salutary |
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| 35 | 35 | | recognition for purposes of this subdivision; and |
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| 36 | 36 | | (4) a discussion regarding a public official's |
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| 37 | 37 | | attendance at an upcoming social, ceremonial, or community event. |
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| 38 | 38 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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