| 4 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 5 | 7 | | relating to certain meetings of a commissioners court during a |
|---|
| 6 | 8 | | disaster or emergency. |
|---|
| 7 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 8 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 551, Government Code, is |
|---|
| 9 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 551.091 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 10 | 12 | | Sec. 551.091. COMMISSIONERS COURTS: DELIBERATION |
|---|
| 11 | 13 | | REGARDING DISASTER OR EMERGENCY. (a) This section applies only to |
|---|
| 12 | 14 | | the commissioners court of a county: |
|---|
| 13 | 15 | | (1) for which the governor has issued an executive |
|---|
| 14 | 16 | | order or proclamation declaring a state of disaster or a state of |
|---|
| 15 | 17 | | emergency; and |
|---|
| 16 | 18 | | (2) in which transportation to the meeting location is |
|---|
| 17 | 19 | | dangerous or difficult as a result of the disaster or emergency. |
|---|
| 18 | 20 | | (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter and |
|---|
| 19 | 21 | | subject to Subsection (c), a commissioners court to which this |
|---|
| 20 | 22 | | section applies may hold an open or closed meeting, including a |
|---|
| 21 | 23 | | telephone conference call, solely to deliberate about disaster or |
|---|
| 22 | 24 | | emergency conditions and related public safety matters that require |
|---|
| 23 | 25 | | an immediate response without complying with the requirements of |
|---|
| 24 | 26 | | this chapter, including the requirement to provide notice before |
|---|
| 25 | 27 | | the meeting or to first convene in an open meeting. |
|---|
| 26 | 28 | | (c) To the extent practicable under the circumstances, the |
|---|
| 27 | 29 | | commissioners court shall provide reasonable public notice of a |
|---|
| 28 | 30 | | meeting under this section and if the meeting is an open meeting |
|---|
| 29 | 31 | | allow members of the public and the press to observe the meeting. |
|---|
| 30 | 32 | | (d) The commissioners court: |
|---|
| 31 | 33 | | (1) may not vote or take final action on a matter |
|---|
| 32 | 34 | | during a meeting under this section; and |
|---|
| 33 | 35 | | (2) shall prepare and keep minutes or a recording of a |
|---|
| 34 | 36 | | meeting under this section and make the minutes or recording |
|---|
| 35 | 37 | | available to the public as soon as practicable. |
|---|
| 36 | 38 | | (e) This section expires September 1, 2027. |
|---|
| 37 | 39 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
|---|
| 38 | | - | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
|---|
| 39 | | - | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
|---|
| 40 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1343 passed the Senate on |
|---|
| 41 | | - | April 29, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
|---|
| 42 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 43 | | - | Secretary of the Senate |
|---|
| 44 | | - | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1343 passed the House on |
|---|
| 45 | | - | May 8, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 133, Nays 6, two present |
|---|
| 46 | | - | not voting. |
|---|
| 47 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 48 | | - | Chief Clerk of the House |
|---|
| 49 | | - | Approved: |
|---|
| 50 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 51 | | - | Date |
|---|
| 52 | | - | ______________________________ |
|---|
| 53 | | - | Governor |
|---|