1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to certain meetings held by a nonprofit corporation.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Article 9.11, Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act
 1-5     (Article 1396-9.11, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is amended to
 1-6     read as follows:
 1-7           Art. 9.11.  [TELEPHONE] MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE CONFERENCE OR
 1-8     OTHER REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY.  A.  Subject to the
 1-9     provisions required or permitted by this Act for notice of
1-10     meetings, unless otherwise restricted by the articles of
1-11     incorporation or bylaws, members of a corporation, members of the
1-12     board of directors of a corporation, or members of any committee
1-13     designated by such board may participate in and hold a meeting of
1-14     such members, board, or committee by means of:
1-15                 (1)  conference telephone or similar communications
1-16     equipment by [means of] which all persons participating in the
1-17     meeting can hear each other; or
1-18                 (2)  another suitable electronic communications system,
1-19     including videoconferencing technology or the Internet, only if:
1-20                       (a)  each member entitled to participate in the
1-21     meeting consents to the meeting being held by means of that system;
1-22     and
1-23                       (b)  the system provides access to the meeting in
1-24     a manner or using a method by which each member participating in
 2-1     the meeting can communicate concurrently with each other
 2-2     participant.
 2-3           B. Participation  [, and participation] in a meeting pursuant
 2-4     to this Article shall constitute presence in person at such
 2-5     meeting, except  where a person participates in the meeting for the
 2-6     express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on
 2-7     the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.
 2-8           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-13     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-14     passage, and it is so enacted.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 756 was passed by the House on April
         16, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 0, 2 present, not
         voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 756 was passed by the Senate on May
         26, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor