By Chavez H.B. No. 3317
76R9231 MCK-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to broadcasting over the Internet the public meetings and
1-3 certain other events held by a state agency.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 551.128 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 551.128. INTERNET BROADCAST OF CERTAIN STATE AGENCY
1-8 MEETINGS. (a) In this section, "Internet" means the largest
1-9 nonproprietary cooperative public computer network, popularly known
1-10 as the Internet.
1-11 (b) A state agency that has at least one office outside
1-12 Austin shall use the Internet for the live broadcast of an open
1-13 meeting in accordance with Chapter 559.
1-14 (c) A state agency that broadcasts a meeting over the
1-15 Internet shall provide on the Internet the same notice of the
1-16 meeting that the governmental body is required to post under
1-17 Subchapter C. The notice on the Internet must be posted within the
1-18 time required for posting notice under Subchapter C.
1-19 SECTION 2. Subtitle A, Title 5, Government Code, is amended
1-20 by adding Chapter 559 to read as follows:
1-21 CHAPTER 559. BROADCAST OF
1-22 CERTAIN STATE AGENCY EVENTS OVER INTERNET
1-23 Sec. 559.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "Internet" means
1-24 the largest nonproprietary cooperative public computer network,
2-1 popularly known as the Internet.
2-2 Sec. 559.002. BROADCAST OVER INTERNET. A state agency that
2-3 has at least one office outside Austin shall use the Internet for
2-4 the live broadcast of the meetings, training sessions, seminars,
2-5 and other events that would require the agency's employees to
2-6 travel to Austin.
2-7 Sec. 559.003. INTERNET SITE. (a) A state agency that
2-8 broadcasts a meeting, training session, seminar, or other event
2-9 over the Internet shall establish an Internet site and provide
2-10 access to the public to the event from that site. The events shall
2-11 be archived and available on the Internet site for at least 90
2-12 days.
2-13 (b) The state agency shall contract with a private Internet
2-14 provider to broadcast the events. The private Internet provider
2-15 shall supply the state agency with the software required to view
2-16 and listen to the broadcast of the event.
2-17 SECTION 3. The subchapter heading to Subchapter F, Chapter
2-18 551, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
2-19 SUBCHAPTER F. MEETINGS USING [BY]
2-20 TELEPHONE, [CONFERENCE CALL OR]
2-21 VIDEOCONFERENCE, OR INTERNET [CALL]
2-22 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-23 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
2-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.