1-1 By: Bivins S.B. No. 1578
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 14, 1997; March 24, 1997, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
1-4 April 18, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 13, Nays 0; April 18, 1997,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1578 By: Nelson
1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-9 AN ACT
1-10 relating to meetings of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
1-11 Board to consider higher education impact statements.
1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
1-14 amended by adding Section 551.126 to read as follows:
1-15 Sec. 551.126. HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD. (a) In
1-16 this section, "board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
1-17 Board.
1-18 (b) The board may hold an open meeting by telephone
1-19 conference call or video conference call in order to consider a
1-20 higher education impact statement if the preparation of a higher
1-21 education impact statement by the board is to be provided under the
1-22 rules of either the house of representatives or the senate.
1-23 (c) A meeting held by telephone conference call must comply
1-24 with the procedures described in Section 551.125.
1-25 (d) A meeting held by video conference call is subject to
1-26 the notice requirements applicable to other meetings. In addition,
1-27 a meeting held by video conference call shall:
1-28 (1) be visible and audible to the public at the
1-29 location specified in the notice of the meeting as the location of
1-30 the meeting;
1-31 (2) be recorded by audio and video; and
1-32 (3) have two-way audio and video communications with
1-33 each participant in the meeting during the entire meeting.
1-34 SECTION 2. Section 61.025, Education Code, is amended by
1-35 amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsection (e) to read
1-36 as follows:
1-37 (b) Except as provided by Section 551.126, Government Code,
1-38 the [The] board shall hold regular quarterly meetings in the city
1-39 of Austin, and other meetings at places and times scheduled by it
1-40 in formal sessions and called by the chairman.
1-41 (c) Except as provided by Subsection (e), an [An] agenda for
1-42 the meetings in sufficient detail to indicate the items on which
1-43 final action is contemplated shall be mailed to the chairman of
1-44 each governing board and to the chief administrative officer of
1-45 each state institution of higher education at least 30 days prior
1-46 to the meeting.
1-47 (e) The board may hold a meeting to consider a higher
1-48 education impact statement, if a higher education impact statement
1-49 by the board is to be provided under the rules of either the house
1-50 of representatives or the senate. The meeting shall be called by
1-51 the chair and the board shall provide notice of the meeting in
1-52 accordance with Chapter 551, Government Code. The board is not
1-53 required to mail an agenda 30 days in advance to the governing
1-54 boards and institutions as provided in Subsection (c), for a
1-55 meeting to consider a higher education impact statement.
1-56 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-57 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-58 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-59 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-60 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-61 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-62 passage, and it is so enacted.
1-63 * * * * *