By: Toth H.B. No. 2965
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to changing the elements of an offense for certain open
meetings requirements for a member of a governmental body.
B
E IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sec. 551.143(a), Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 551.143. CIRCUMVENTION OF [CONSPIRACY TO CIRCUMVENT]
CHAPTER; OFFENSE; PENALTY. (a) A member [or group of members] of a
governmental body commits an offense if the member outside of a
meeting knowingly engages directly or indirectly in a series of
verbal or written communications with other members of the
governmental body without a quorum present regarding a tacit or
explicit agreement to act uniformly in sufficient number to
constitute a quorum concerning: [or group of members knowingly
conspires to circumvent this chapter by meeting in numbers less
than a quorum for the purpose of secret deliberations in violation
of this chapter.]
(1) an issue within the jurisdiction of the
governmental body; or
(2) any public business.
(b) An offense under Subsection (a) is a misdemeanor
punishable by:
(1) a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500;
(2) confinement in the county jail for not less than
one month or more than six months; or
(3) both the fine and confinement.
SECTION 2. 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, 2019.