By Hupp                                               H.B. No. 2241
         76R7872 JRD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to allowing state agency officials to hold town hall
 1-3     meetings in various parts of the state.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 651, Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding Section 651.005 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 651.005.  TOWN HALL MEETINGS.  (a)  In this section,
 1-8     "state agency" means an office, institution, or other agency in any
 1-9     branch of state government.
1-10           (b)  A state officer who governs a state agency, a member of
1-11     the governing body of a state agency, and the administrative head
1-12     of a state agency may travel to any region of the state for the
1-13     purpose of holding meetings in the nature of a town hall meeting to
1-14     talk to and receive questions from members of the public about the
1-15     work of the agency and how it affects residents of that area of the
1-16     state.
1-17           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-22     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-23     passage, and it is so enacted.