By: Bivins S.B. No. 839 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to allowing a governmental body to hold a meeting by 1-2 videoconference call under certain circumstances. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter F, Chapter 551, 1-5 Government Code, is amended to read as follows: 1-6 SUBCHAPTER F. MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL 1-7 OR VIDEOCONFERENCE CALL 1-8 SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 551, Government Code, is 1-9 amended by adding Section 551.126 to read as follows: 1-10 Sec. 551.126. VIDEOCONFERENCE CALL. (a) Except as 1-11 otherwise provided by this section, this chapter does not prohibit 1-12 a governmental body from holding an open or closed meeting by 1-13 videoconference call. 1-14 (b) A meeting may be held by videoconference call only if 1-15 the convening at one location of a quorum of the governmental body 1-16 is difficult or impossible. 1-17 (c) A meeting held by videoconference call is subject to the 1-18 notice requirements applicable to other meetings in addition to the 1-19 notice requirements prescribed by this section. 1-20 (d) The notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference 1-21 call must specify as a location of the meeting the location where 1-22 meetings of the governmental body are usually held. In addition, 1-23 the notice of the meeting must specify as a location of the meeting 2-1 each location where a member of the governmental body who will 2-2 participate in the meeting will be physically present during the 2-3 meeting. Each of the locations shall be open to the public during 2-4 the open portions of the meeting. 2-5 (e) Each portion of a meeting held by videoconference call 2-6 that is required to be open to the public shall be visible and 2-7 audible to the public at each location specified under Subsection 2-8 (d). 2-9 (f) The governmental body shall make at least an audio 2-10 recording of the meeting. The recording shall be made available to 2-11 the public. 2-12 (g) Each location specified under Subsection (d) shall have 2-13 two-way communication with each other location during the entire 2-14 meeting. Each participant in the videoconference call, while 2-15 speaking, shall be clearly visible and audible to each other 2-16 participant and, during the open portion of the meeting, to the 2-17 members of the public in attendance at a location of the meeting. 2-18 (h) The Department of Information Resources by rule shall 2-19 specify minimum standards for audio and video signals at a meeting 2-20 held by videoconference call. The quality of the audio and video 2-21 signals perceptible at each location of the meeting must meet or 2-22 exceed those standards. 2-23 (i) The quality of the audio and video signals perceptible 2-24 by members of the public at each location of the meeting must: 2-25 (1) meet or exceed the quality of the audio and video 3-1 signals perceptible by the members of the governmental body 3-2 participating in the meeting; and 3-3 (2) be of sufficient quality so that members of the 3-4 public at each location of the meeting can observe the demeanor and 3-5 hear the voice of each participant in the open portion of the 3-6 meeting. 3-7 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and 3-8 applies only to a meeting for which notice is given under Chapter 3-9 551, Government Code, on or after that date. 3-10 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 3-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.