AN ACT
1-1 relating to meetings of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
1-2 Board to consider higher education impact statements.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
1-5 amended by adding Section 551.126 to read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 551.126. HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD. (a) In
1-7 this section, "board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
1-8 Board.
1-9 (b) The board may hold an open meeting by telephone
1-10 conference call or video conference call in order to consider a
1-11 higher education impact statement if the preparation of a higher
1-12 education impact statement by the board is to be provided under the
1-13 rules of either the house of representatives or the senate.
1-14 (c) A meeting held by telephone conference call must comply
1-15 with the procedures described in Section 551.125.
1-16 (d) A meeting held by video conference call is subject to
1-17 the notice requirements applicable to other meetings. In addition,
1-18 a meeting held by video conference call shall:
1-19 (1) be visible and audible to the public at the
1-20 location specified in the notice of the meeting as the location of
1-21 the meeting;
1-22 (2) be recorded by audio and video; and
1-23 (3) have two-way audio and video communications with
2-1 each participant in the meeting during the entire meeting.
2-2 SECTION 2. Section 61.025, Education Code, is amended by
2-3 amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (e) to read
2-4 as follows:
2-5 (b) Except as provided by Section 551.126, Government Code,
2-6 the [The] board shall hold regular quarterly meetings in the city
2-7 of Austin, and other meetings at places and times scheduled by it
2-8 in formal sessions and called by the chairman.
2-9 (c) Except as provided by Subsection (e), an [An] agenda for
2-10 the meetings in sufficient detail to indicate the items on which
2-11 final action is contemplated shall be mailed to the chairman of
2-12 each governing board and to the chief administrative officer of
2-13 each state institution of higher education at least 30 days prior
2-14 to the meeting.
2-15 (e) The board may hold a meeting to consider a higher
2-16 education impact statement, if a higher education impact statement
2-17 by the board is to be provided under the rules of either the house
2-18 of representatives or the senate. The meeting shall be called by
2-19 the chair and the board shall provide notice of the meeting in
2-20 accordance with Chapter 551, Government Code. The board is not
2-21 required to mail an agenda 30 days in advance to the governing
2-22 boards and institutions as provided in Subsection (c), for a
2-23 meeting to consider a higher education impact statement.
2-24 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-4 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-5 passage, and it is so enacted.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1578 passed the Senate on
April 24, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1578 passed the House on
May 23, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, two present
not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
_______________________________
Governor