By Yarbrough                                          H.B. No. 2459
         76R5750 JRD-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to applying the open meetings and open records laws to
 1-3     certain property owners' associations.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 551.0015 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 551.0015.  CERTAIN PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATIONS SUBJECT
 1-8     TO LAW.  (a)  In this section, "property owners' association" has
 1-9     the meaning assigned by Section 202.001, Property Code.
1-10           (b)  A property owners' association is subject to this
1-11     chapter in the same manner as a governmental body.
1-12           (c)  The governing body of the association, a committee of
1-13     the association, and members of the governing body or of a
1-14     committee of the association are subject to this chapter in the
1-15     same manner as the governing body of a governmental body, a
1-16     committee of a governmental body, and members of the governing body
1-17     or of a committee of the governmental body.
1-18           SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 552, Government Code,  is
1-19     amended by adding Section 552.0035 to read as follows:
1-20           Sec. 552.0035.  CERTAIN PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATIONS SUBJECT
1-21     TO LAW.  (a)  In this section, "property owners' association" has
1-22     the meaning assigned by Section 202.001, Property Code.
1-23           (b)  A property owners' association is subject to this
1-24     chapter in the same manner as a governmental body.
 2-1           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.  Section
 2-2     551.0015, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only in
 2-3     relation to a meeting of a property owners' association held on or
 2-4     after that date.
 2-5           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.