| 1 | 1 | | By: Campbell S.B. No. 1885 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to open meetings of governmental bodies. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 551, Government Code, is |
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| 9 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 551.0025 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 551.0025. REQUIREMENTS FOR OPEN MEETING WITH |
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| 11 | 11 | | RESTRICTED PUBLIC ACCESS. (a) This section applies only to an open |
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| 12 | 12 | | meeting of a governmental body where public access to any open |
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| 13 | 13 | | portion of the meeting is limited or restricted. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (b) The requirements prescribed by this section are in |
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| 15 | 15 | | addition to other requirements of law applicable to an open |
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| 16 | 16 | | meeting. This section prevails to the extent of a conflict with |
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| 17 | 17 | | another provision of law. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (c) A governmental body that holds a meeting to which this |
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| 19 | 19 | | section applies shall: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) broadcast audio and video of all open portions of |
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| 21 | 21 | | the meeting live over the Internet and provide a link to the |
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| 22 | 22 | | broadcast in the notice of the meeting; or |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) allow members of the public to listen to live audio |
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| 24 | 24 | | of all open portions of the meeting by telephone, provide a |
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| 25 | 25 | | toll-free telephone number for that purpose, and include the |
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| 26 | 26 | | toll-free telephone number in the notice of the meeting. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (d) If a governmental body makes an audio and video |
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| 28 | 28 | | recording of the open portions of a meeting under Subsection |
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| 29 | 29 | | (c)(3), the governmental body shall: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (e) If a governmental body holds a meeting to which this |
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| 31 | 31 | | section applies and at which members of the public are allowed to |
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| 32 | 32 | | address the body, including a meeting to which Section 551.007 |
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| 33 | 33 | | applies, the governmental body: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) shall allow members of the public to address the |
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| 35 | 35 | | body by telephone; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) may allow members of the public to address the body |
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| 37 | 37 | | over the Internet; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | (3) shall provide in the notice of the meeting a |
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| 39 | 39 | | toll-free telephone number and, if applicable, an Internet link for |
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| 40 | 40 | | the purposes of Subdivisions (1) and (2). |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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