88R26313 SCP-D
By: Bell of Kaufman H.B. No. 3881
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to board of directors meeting locations of certain rural
area water districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 49.062, Water Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (b) and (b-1) and adding Subsections (b-2) and
(b-3) to read as follows:
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-2) [(b-1)], the
board shall designate one or more places inside or outside the
district for conducting the meetings of the board. The meeting
place may be a private residence or office, provided that the board,
in its order establishing the meeting place, declares the same to be
a public place and invites the public to attend any meeting of the
board. If the board establishes a meeting place or places outside
the district, it shall give notice of the location or locations by
filing a true copy of the resolution establishing the location or
locations of the meeting place or places and a justification of why
the meeting will not be held in the district or within 10 miles of
the boundary of the district, if applicable, with the commission
and also by publishing notice of the location or locations in a
newspaper of general circulation in the district. If the location
of any of the meeting places outside the district is changed, notice
of the change shall be given in the same manner.
(b-1) In Subsections (b-2) and (b-3) [this subsection],
"rural area district" means a district in which more than half of
the district's projected retail water or sewer connections are
active and that is:
(1) not wholly or partly located in a county that as of
the 2020 [2010] Census:
(A) had a population of 800,000 or more; or
(B) bordered a county with a population of
800,000 or more; or
(2) wholly or partly located in a county with a
population of more than 144,000 and less than 148,000.
(b-2) Except as provided by Subsection (b-3), if [If] the
board of a rural area district conducts meetings at least
quarterly, the board shall conduct a meeting at a designated
meeting location inside the district or within 10 miles of the
boundary of the district at least once per quarter. If the board
determines that it is not practical to meet within 10 miles of the
boundary of the district, the district may conduct the quarterly
meeting at another designated meeting place in the county in which
the district is located.
(b-3) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, and
except as provided by this subsection, a rural area district
described by Subsection (b-1)(2) may satisfy the requirements of
Subsection (b-2) by conducting quarterly meetings by telephone
conference call or videoconference call. A meeting to discuss the
tax rate of the district must be conducted in person.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.