By Bivins                                        S.B. No. 839

      75R2734 JRD-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to allowing a governmental body to hold a meeting by

 1-3     videoconference call.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  The heading to Subchapter F, Chapter 551,

 1-6     Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

 1-7            SUBCHAPTER F.  MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE CONFERENCE CALL

 1-8                           OR VIDEOCONFERENCE CALL

 1-9           SECTION 2.  Subchapter F, Chapter 551, Government Code, is

1-10     amended by adding Section 551.126 to read as follows:

1-11           Sec. 551.126.  VIDEOCONFERENCE CALL.  (a)  Except as

1-12     otherwise provided by this section, this chapter does not prohibit

1-13     a governmental body from holding an open or closed meeting by

1-14     videoconference call.

1-15           (b)  A meeting held by videoconference call is subject to the

1-16     notice requirements applicable to other meetings in addition to the

1-17     notice requirement prescribed by this section.

1-18           (c)  The notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference

1-19     call must specify as the location of the meeting the location where

1-20     meetings of the governmental body are usually held.

1-21           (d)  Each part of the meeting held by videoconference call

1-22     that is required to be open to the public shall be visible and

1-23     audible to the public at the location specified in the notice of

1-24     the meeting as the location of the meeting.

 2-1           (e)  The governmental body shall make at least an audio

 2-2     recording of the meeting.  The recording shall be made available to

 2-3     the public.

 2-4           (f)  The location specified under Subsection (c) shall have

 2-5     two-way audio and video communications with each participant in the

 2-6     meeting during the entire meeting. On convening the meeting, the

 2-7     presiding officer shall identify each member participating in the

 2-8     meeting.

 2-9           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

2-10     applies only to a meeting for which notice is given under Chapter

2-11     551, Government Code, on or after that date.

2-12           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.