76R6015 JD-D By Wolens, Maxey H.B. No. 156 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 156: By Wolens C.S.H.B. No. 156 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the application of the open meetings law to certain 1-3 gatherings at which a governmental body receives information from 1-4 third persons, including government employees. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 551.001(4), Government Code, is amended 1-7 to read as follows: 1-8 (4) "Meeting" means: 1-9 (A) a deliberation between a quorum of a 1-10 governmental body, or between a quorum of a governmental body and 1-11 another person, during which public business or public policy over 1-12 which the governmental body has supervision or control is discussed 1-13 or considered or during which the governmental body takes formal 1-14 action; or 1-15 (B) a gathering: 1-16 (i) that is conducted by the governmental 1-17 body or for which the governmental body is responsible; 1-18 (ii) at which a quorum of members of the 1-19 governmental body is present; 1-20 (iii) that has been called by the 1-21 governmental body; and 1-22 (iv) at which the members receive 1-23 information from, give information to, ask questions of, or receive 1-24 questions from any third person, including an employee of the 2-1 governmental body, about the public business or public policy over 2-2 which the governmental body has supervision or control. 2-3 The term does not include the gathering of a quorum of 2-4 a governmental body at a social function unrelated to the public 2-5 business that is conducted by the body, or the attendance by a 2-6 quorum of a governmental body at a regional, state, or national 2-7 convention or workshop, if formal action is not taken and any 2-8 discussion of public business is incidental to the social function, 2-9 convention, or workshop. The term includes a session of a 2-10 governmental body. 2-11 SECTION 2. Section 551.075, Government Code, is repealed. 2-12 SECTION 3. 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, 2-17 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-18 passage, and it is so enacted.