By:  Wentworth                                         S.B. No. 916
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to notices of open meetings posted by the secretary of
 1-2     state.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 551.044(a), Government Code, is amended
 1-5     to read as follows:
 1-6           (a)  The secretary of state must post notice on the Internet
 1-7     of a meeting of a state board, commission, department, or officer
 1-8     having statewide jurisdiction for at least seven days before the
 1-9     day of the meeting.  The secretary of state shall provide during
1-10     regular office hours a computer terminal at a place convenient to
1-11     the public in the office of the secretary of state that members of
1-12     the public may use to view notices of meetings posted by the
1-13     secretary of state.
1-14           SECTION 2.  Section 551.048(b), Government Code, is amended
1-15     to read as follows:
1-16           (b)  The secretary of state shall post the notice on the
1-17     Internet.  The secretary of state shall provide during regular
1-18     office hours a computer terminal [a bulletin board] at a place
1-19     convenient to the public in the [main] office of the secretary of
1-20     state that members of the public may use to view the notice.
1-21           SECTION 3.  Section 551.053(b), Government Code, is amended
1-22     to read as follows:
 2-1           (b)  The secretary of state shall post the notice provided
 2-2     under Subsection (a)(2) on the Internet.  The secretary of state
 2-3     shall provide during regular office hours a computer terminal [a
 2-4     bulletin board] at a place convenient to the public in the [main]
 2-5     office of the secretary of state that members of the public may use
 2-6     to view the notice.
 2-7           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.  The
 2-8     change in law made by this Act applies only to notices of meetings
 2-9     that must first be posted by the secretary of state on or after
2-10     that date for the notice to be timely posted.  Notices of meetings
2-11     that must first be posted by the secretary of state before that
2-12     date for the notice to be timely posted are governed by the law
2-13     that existed on the date the notice must first be posted to be
2-14     timely, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.