By Uher                                               H.B. No. 1450
         76R6042 JD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the application of the open meetings law and the public
 1-3     information law to certain state associations of counties.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 81.026, Local Government Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
 1-7           (c)  An association described by Subsection (a) and the
 1-8     governing body of the association are considered to be
 1-9     governmental bodies for  purposes of the open meetings law and the
1-10     public information law, Chapters 551 and 552, Government Code.  The
1-11     association shall post notice and provide special notice of its
1-12     meetings at the place and in the manner required for a board in the
1-13     executive branch of state government.
1-14           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.  The
1-15     change in law made by this Act applies only to a deliberation of
1-16     the governing body of a state association of counties that begins
1-17     on or after September 8, 1999.  A deliberation of the governing
1-18     body of a state association of counties that begins before
1-19     September 8, 1999, is covered by the law in effect when the
1-20     deliberation begins, and the former law is continued in effect for
1-21     that purpose.
1-22           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.