BILL ANALYSIS


                                                     C.S.S.B. 246
                                                    By: Wentworth
                                                    State Affairs
                                                          3-13-95
                                   Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND

The Texas Open Meetings Act was enacted in 1976 as part of a
national trend to make government more accessible to the people. 
A fundamental premise of the statute is that all meetings of
governmental bodies are open to the public unless they are
specifically excepted by the act or are specifically permitted by
the Texas Constitution.  While it is commonly accepted that the act
applies to a regular or called meeting of a governmental body, it
is unclear whether or not the act applies to informal meetings such
as staff briefings.

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 246 amends the definition of "meeting" as it
relates to the open meetings law of governmental bodies.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 551.001(4), Government Code, to define
"meeting" as a gathering of a quorum of members of a governmental
body, if the governmental body has four or more members, and at
which the members deliberate information from a third person about
public business or public policy within the body's jurisdiction.

SECTION 2. Repealer:  Section 551.075, Government Code (Conference
with Employees - Closed Meeting).

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.