SRC-JJJ H.B. 2114 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 2114
By: Danburg (Ellis)
Intergovernmental Relations
5/13/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

The 75th Legislature passed H.B. 92 to give counties and municipalities the
authority to create sports and community venue districts to provide for the
planning, acquisition, establishment, development, construction, or
renovation of a venue project under certain conditions. H.B. 92 also
subjects the sports and community venue districts to the Open Meetings Act,
Chapter 551, Government Code. An appeals court has ruled that a sports and
community venue district's board or its committees can hold closed meetings
if no deliberations, which require a verbal exchange, occur at the
meetings. H.B. 2114 would require a sports and community venue district's
board or committee to be subject to the Open Meetings Act, whether or not
deliberations occur.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 2114 requires a sports and community venue district's
board or committee to be subject to the Open Meetings Act, whether or not
deliberations occur.  

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 335.023, Local Government Code, by adding
Subsections (c) and (d), to provide that, notwithstanding Section 551.001,
Government Code, a board or a committee of a board of a sports and
community venue district (board or committee) is considered to be meeting
for purposes of Chapter 551, Government Code, without regard to whether
there is a deliberation between a quorum or between a quorum and another
person, if certain conditions exist, and if a committee of a board is
considered to be a governmental body for purposes of Chapter 551,
Government Code, without regard to whether the committee has rulemaking or
quasi-judicial power, or functions only in an advisory capacity. Provides
that Section 551.075, Government Code, does not apply to a meeting of a
board or committee.  

SECTION 2. Emergency clause. 
  Effective date: upon passage.