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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the organization and efficient operation of the |
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legislative branch of state government through joint entities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 301, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 301.034 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 301.034. JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEE PER DIEM AND TRAVEL |
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EXPENSES. Unless a statute expressly provides otherwise, per diem |
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and travel expenses paid to a member of a joint committee |
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established by statute shall be paid by the house to which the |
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member belongs. The per diem and travel expenses paid to a public |
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member of the committee shall be paid by the office of the |
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appointing entity. |
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SECTION 2. Section 321.002, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read as follows: |
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(f) As an exception to Chapter 551 and other law, if a |
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meeting is located in Austin and the joint chairs of the committee |
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are physically present at the meeting, then any number of the other |
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members of the committee may attend the meeting by use of telephone |
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conference call, video conference call, or other similar |
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telecommunication device. This subsection: |
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(1) applies only if a disaster has been declared and is |
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currently in effect in this state as the result of: |
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(A) a declaration by the president of the United |
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States under federal law; or |
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(B) a declaration or determination by a public |
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officer, governing body, or authority under Chapter 418, Government |
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Code, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, or other law, including |
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the Texas Constitution; |
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(2) applies for purposes of constituting a quorum, for |
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purposes of voting, and for any other purpose allowing a member of |
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the committee to otherwise fully participate in any meeting of the |
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committee; and |
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(3) applies without exception with regard to the |
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subject of the meeting or topics considered by the members. |
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(g) A meeting held under Subsection (f) by use of telephone |
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conference call, video conference call, or other similar |
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telecommunication device: |
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(1) is subject to the notice requirements applicable |
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to other meetings; |
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(2) must specify in the notice of the meeting the |
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location in Austin of the meeting at which the joint chairs will be |
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physically present; |
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(3) must be open to the public and shall be audible to |
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the public at the location in Austin specified in the notice of the |
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meeting as the location of the meeting at which the joint chairs |
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will be physically present; and |
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(4) must provide two-way audio communication between |
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all members of the committee attending the meeting during the |
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entire meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with |
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any member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the |
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meeting may not continue until the two-way audio communication link |
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is reestablished. |
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SECTION 3. Section 323.003, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) As an exception to Chapter 551 and other law, if a |
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meeting is located in Austin and the joint chairs of the council are |
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physically present at the meeting, then any number of the other |
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members of the council may attend the meeting by use of telephone |
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conference call, video conference call, or other similar |
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|
telecommunication device. This subsection: |
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|
(1) applies only if a disaster has been declared and is |
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|
currently in effect in this state as the result of: |
|
|
(A) a declaration by the president of the United |
|
|
States under federal law; or |
|
|
(B) a declaration or determination by a public |
|
|
officer, governing body, or authority under Chapter 418, Government |
|
|
Code, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, or other law, including |
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|
the Texas Constitution; |
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|
(2) applies for purposes of constituting a quorum, for |
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purposes of voting, and for any other purpose allowing a member of |
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the council to otherwise fully participate in any meeting of the |
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council; and |
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(3) applies without exception with regard to the |
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subject of the meeting or topics considered by the members. |
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(a-2) A meeting held under Subsection (a-1) by use of |
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telephone conference call, video conference call, or other similar |
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telecommunication device: |
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(1) is subject to the notice requirements applicable |
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to other meetings; |
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(2) must specify in the notice of the meeting the |
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location in Austin of the meeting at which the joint chairs will be |
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physically present; |
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(3) must be open to the public and shall be audible to |
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the public at the location in Austin specified in the notice of the |
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meeting as the location of the meeting at which the joint chairs |
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will be physically present; and |
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(4) must provide two-way audio communication between |
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all members of the council attending the meeting during the entire |
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meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with any |
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member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the meeting |
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may not continue until the two-way audio communication link is |
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reestablished. |
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SECTION 4. Section 324.004, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: |
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(e) As an exception to Chapter 551 and other law, if a |
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meeting is located in Austin and the joint chairs of the board are |
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physically present at the meeting, then any number of the other |
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members of the board may attend the meeting by use of telephone |
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|
conference call, video conference call, or other similar |
|
|
telecommunication device. This subsection: |
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|
(1) applies only if a disaster has been declared and is |
|
|
currently in effect in this state as the result of: |
|
|
(A) a declaration by the president of the United |
|
|
States under federal law; or |
|
|
(B) a declaration or determination by a public |
|
|
officer, governing body, or authority under Chapter 418, Government |
|
|
Code, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, or other law, including |
|
|
the Texas Constitution; |
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|
(2) applies for purposes of constituting a quorum, for |
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purposes of voting, and for any other purpose allowing a member of |
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|
the board to otherwise fully participate in any meeting of the |
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board; and |
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(3) applies without exception with regard to the |
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subject of the meeting or topics considered by the members. |
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(f) A meeting held under Subsection (e) by use of telephone |
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conference call, video conference call, or other similar |
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telecommunication device: |
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(1) is subject to the notice requirements applicable |
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to other meetings; |
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|
(2) must specify in the notice of the meeting the |
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location in Austin of the meeting at which the joint chairs will be |
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|
physically present; |
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(3) must be open to the public and shall be audible to |
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the public at the location in Austin specified in the notice of the |
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meeting as the location of the meeting at which the joint chairs |
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will be physically present; and |
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(4) must provide two-way audio communication between |
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all members of the board attending the meeting during the entire |
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meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with any |
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member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the meeting |
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may not continue until the two-way audio communication link is |
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reestablished. |
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SECTION 5. Section 325.003, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (l) and (m) to read as follows: |
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(l) As an exception to Chapter 551 and other law, if a |
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meeting is located in Austin and the chairman and vice-chairman of |
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the commission are physically present at the meeting, then any |
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number of the other members of the commission may attend the meeting |
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by use of telephone conference call, video conference call, or |
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|
other similar telecommunication device. This subsection: |
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|
(1) applies only if a disaster has been declared and is |
|
|
currently in effect in this state as the result of: |
|
|
(A) a declaration by the president of the United |
|
|
States under federal law; or |
|
|
(B) a declaration or determination by a public |
|
|
officer, governing body, or authority under Chapter 418, Government |
|
|
Code, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, or other law, including |
|
|
the Texas Constitution; |
|
|
(2) applies for purposes of constituting a quorum, for |
|
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purposes of voting, and for any other purpose allowing a member of |
|
|
the commission to otherwise fully participate in any meeting of the |
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commission; and |
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(3) applies without exception with regard to the |
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subject of the meeting or topics considered by the members. |
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(m) A meeting held under Subsection (l) by use of telephone |
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conference call, video conference call, or other similar |
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telecommunication device: |
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(1) is subject to the notice requirements applicable |
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to other meetings; |
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(2) must specify in the notice of the meeting the |
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location in Austin of the meeting at which the chairman and |
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vice-chairman will be physically present; |
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(3) must be open to the public and shall be audible to |
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|
the public at the location in Austin specified in the notice of the |
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meeting as the location of the meeting at which the chairman and |
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vice-chairman will be physically present; and |
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(4) must provide two-way audio communication between |
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all members of the commission attending the meeting during the |
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entire meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with |
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any member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the |
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meeting may not continue until the two-way audio communication link |
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is reestablished. |
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SECTION 6. Section 326.001, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 326.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "legislative |
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agency" means: |
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(1) the senate; |
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(2) the house of representatives; |
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(3) a committee, division, department, or office of |
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the senate or house; |
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(4) the Texas Legislative Council; |
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(5) the Legislative Budget Board; |
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(6) the Legislative Reference Library; |
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(7) the office of the State Auditor; or |
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(8) any other agency in the legislative branch of |
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state government other than the Texas Ethics Commission. |
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SECTION 7 This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a |
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vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |