Texas 2021 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2969 Introduced / Bill

Filed 03/05/2021

                    87R11083 TJB-D
 By: Cason H.B. No. 2969


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the ability of a person in attendance at an open meeting
 of a governmental body to stream live video and audio of the meeting
 on the Internet.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 551.023, Government Code,
 is amended to read as follows:
 Sec. 551.023.  RECORDING OR LIVESTREAMING OF MEETING BY
 PERSON IN ATTENDANCE.
 SECTION 2.  Section 551.023(a), Government Code, is amended
 to read as follows:
 (a)  A person in attendance at an open meeting of a
 governmental body may:
 (1)  record all or any part of the [an open] meeting [of
 a governmental body] by means of a recorder, video camera, or other
 means of aural or visual reproduction; or
 (2)  stream live video and audio of all or any part of
 the meeting on the Internet.
 SECTION 3.  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.