Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB924 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R11344 TYPED
2	2	By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 924
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to requirements for open meetings that are broadcast over
8	8	the Internet or held by telephone conference or videoconference
9	9	call.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
12	12	amended by adding Section 551.008 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 551.008. PUBLIC ACCESS TO CERTAIN MEETINGS. (a) This
14	14	section applies only to an open meeting of a governmental body that:
15	15	(1) is held wholly or partly by:
16	16	(A) telephone conference call; or
17	17	(B) videoconference call;
18	18	(2) is broadcast live over the Internet; or
19	19	(3) uses a combination of those methods.
20	20	(b) The requirements prescribed by this section are in
21	21	addition to other requirements of law applicable to an open
22	22	meeting. Except as provided by this section, this section prevails
23	23	to the extent of a conflict with another provision of law.
24	24	(c) A governmental body shall ensure that members of the
25	25	public are able to listen to and, if applicable, speak at an open
26	26	meeting to which this section applies by telephone.
27	27	(d) A governmental body that holds an open meeting to which
28	28	this section applies shall:
29	29	(1) make the open meeting audible to the public by
30	30	telephone and at each location described by Subsection (e)(2);
31	31	(2) if the meeting is broadcast live over the Internet
32	32	or held wholly or partly by videoconference call, provide public
33	33	access to both audiovisual and audio-only feeds of the open meeting
34	34	over the Internet; and
35	35	(3) if applicable, allow members of the public to
36	36	address the governmental body as provided by Section 551.007:
37	37	(A) by telephone; and
38	38	(B) by videoconference call if the meeting is
39	39	held wholly or partly by videoconference call.
40	40	(e) The notice of an open meeting to which this section
41	41	applies must:
42	42	(1) comply with the terms of Chapter 551;
43	43	(2) list each physical location where a member of the
44	44	public may observe and participate in the meeting, including:
45	45	(A) any location that is open to the public where
46	46	a member of the governmental body intends to participate in the
47	47	meeting; and
48	48	(B) any facility provided by the governmental
49	49	body for a member of the public to observe or speak at the meeting;
50	50	(3) include a toll free telephone number that members
51	51	of the public may use to hear and, if applicable, speak at the
52	52	meeting;
53	53	(4) include access information for any audiovisual or
54	54	audio-only feeds required by Subsection (d)(2); and
55	55	(5) include instructions for a member of the public to
56	56	speak at the meeting:
57	57	(A) from a remote location; or
58	58	(B) while physically present at a location
59	59	described by Subdivision (2).
60	60	(f) An open meeting to which this section applies shall be
61	61	recorded. Except as otherwise provided by law, the recording shall
62	62	be made available to the public not later than 24 hours after the
63	63	adjourning of the meeting.
64	64	SECTION 2. Section 551.041(a), Government Code, is amended
65	65	to read as follows:
66	66	(a) A governmental body shall give written notice of the
67	67	date, hour, place, and subject of each meeting held by the
68	68	governmental body. Such notice shall include the subjects to be
69	69	considered in an open meeting and in a closed executive session,
70	70	indicating whether a subject will be discussed in an open or closed
71	71	session so that the public is aware of the subjects for public
72	72	deliberation.
73	73	SECTION 3. Sections 551.128(b) and (c), Government Code,
74	74	are amended to read as follows:
75	75	(b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1) and subject to
76	76	the requirements of this section, a governmental body may broadcast
77	77	an open meeting over the Internet. A governmental body shall
78	78	broadcast an open meeting over the Internet if the physical
79	79	location of the meeting is not accessible to members of the public
80	80	or is not large enough to accommodate all persons seeking to attend
81	81	the meeting in person, including if the location has reduced
82	82	capacity as the result of a public emergency or disaster.
83	83	(c) Except as provided by Subsection (b-2), a governmental
84	84	body that broadcasts a meeting over the Internet shall establish an
85	85	Internet site and provide free and open access for members of the
86	86	public to the broadcast from that site. The governmental body shall
87	87	provide on the Internet site the same notice of the meeting that the
88	88	governmental body is required to post under Subchapter C. The
89	89	notice on the Internet must be posted within the time required for
90	90	posting notice under Subchapter C.
91	91	SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
92	92	a meeting of a governmental body held on or after the effective date
93	93	of this Act.
94	94	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.