By Hunter of Taylor H.B. No. 2508 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the authority of a governmental body to hold an open or 1-3 closed meeting by telephone conference call. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 551, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 551.125 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 551.125. OTHER GOVERNMENTAL BODY. (a) Except as 1-8 otherwise provided by this subchapter, this chapter does not 1-9 prohibit a governmental body from holding an open or closed meeting 1-10 by telephone conference call. 1-11 (b) A meeting held by telephone conference call may be held 1-12 only if: 1-13 (1) an emergency or public necessity exists within the 1-14 meeting of Section 551.045 of this chapter; and 1-15 (2) the convening at one location of a quorum of the 1-16 governmental body is difficult or impossible; or 1-17 (3) the meeting is held by an advisory board. 1-18 (c) The telephone conference call meeting is subject to the 1-19 notice requirements applicable to other meetings. 1-20 (d) The notice of the telephone conference call meeting must 1-21 specify as the location of the meeting the location where meetings 1-22 of the governmental body are usually held. 1-23 (e) Each part of the telephone conference call meeting that 1-24 is required to be open to the public shall be audible to the public 2-1 at the location specified in the notice of the meeting as the 2-2 location of the meeting and shall be tape-recorded. The tape 2-3 recording shall be made available to the public. 2-4 (f) The location designated in the notice as the location of 2-5 the meeting shall provide two-way communication during the entire 2-6 telephone conference call meeting and the identification of each 2-7 party to the telephone conference shall be clearly stated prior to 2-8 speaking. 2-9 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-14 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-15 passage, and it is so enacted.