By: Campbell S.B. No. 1885
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to open meetings of governmental bodies.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 551.0025 to read as follows:
Sec. 551.0025. REQUIREMENTS FOR OPEN MEETING WITH
RESTRICTED PUBLIC ACCESS. (a) This section applies only to an open
meeting of a governmental body where public access to any open
portion of the meeting is limited or restricted.
(b) The requirements prescribed by this section are in
addition to other requirements of law applicable to an open
meeting. This section prevails to the extent of a conflict with
another provision of law.
(c) A governmental body that holds a meeting to which this
section applies shall:
(1) broadcast audio and video of all open portions of
the meeting live over the Internet and provide a link to the
broadcast in the notice of the meeting; or
(2) allow members of the public to listen to live audio
of all open portions of the meeting by telephone, provide a
toll-free telephone number for that purpose, and include the
toll-free telephone number in the notice of the meeting.
(d) If a governmental body makes an audio and video
recording of the open portions of a meeting under Subsection
(c)(3), the governmental body shall:
(e) If a governmental body holds a meeting to which this
section applies and at which members of the public are allowed to
address the body, including a meeting to which Section 551.007
applies, the governmental body:
(1) shall allow members of the public to address the
body by telephone;
(2) may allow members of the public to address the body
over the Internet; and
(3) shall provide in the notice of the meeting a
toll-free telephone number and, if applicable, an Internet link for
the purposes of Subdivisions (1) and (2).
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.