SRC-MAX S.B. 308 75(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 308
By: Wentworth
State Affairs
3-3-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

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 otherwise specified.  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.  S.B. 308 expands the
definition of a meeting to ensure compliance with the Texas Open Meetings
Act.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 308 provides for the application of the open meetings
law to certain meetings of governmental bodies. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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 provide that the
definition of "meeting" includes a situation in which the governmental
body has four or more members, a gathering at which a quorum of members of
the governmental body is present and at which the members receive
information from, give information to, ask questions of, or receive
questions from any third person, including an employee of the governmental
body, about the public business or public policy over which the
governmental body has supervision or control.   

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

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