By: Taylor  S.B. No. 1343
         (In the Senate - Filed March 10, 2021; March 18, 2021, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
  April 19, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 8,
  Nays 0; April 19, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to certain meetings of a commissioners court during a
  disaster or emergency.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 551.091 to read as follows:
         Sec. 551.091.  COMMISSIONERS COURTS: DELIBERATION
  REGARDING DISASTER OR EMERGENCY. (a) This section applies only to
  the commissioners court of a county:
               (1)  for which the governor has issued an executive
  order or proclamation declaring a state of disaster or a state of
  emergency; and
               (2)  in which transportation to the meeting location is
  dangerous or difficult as a result of the disaster or emergency.
         (b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter and
  subject to Subsection (c), a commissioners court to which this
  section applies may hold an open or closed meeting, including a
  telephone conference call, solely to deliberate about disaster or
  emergency conditions and related public safety matters that require
  an immediate response without complying with the requirements of
  this chapter, including the requirement to provide notice before
  the meeting or to first convene in an open meeting.
         (c)  To the extent practicable under the circumstances, the
  commissioners court shall provide reasonable public notice of a
  meeting under this section and if the meeting is an open meeting
  allow members of the public and the press to observe the meeting.
         (d)  The commissioners court:
               (1)  may not vote or take final action on a matter
  during a meeting under this section; and
               (2)  shall prepare and keep minutes or a recording of a
  meeting under this section and make the minutes or recording
  available to the public as soon as practicable.
         (e)  This section expires September 1, 2027.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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