1-1 By: Wentworth S.B. No. 916
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 5, 1999; March 8, 1999, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
1-4 March 29, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8,
1-5 Nays 0; March 29, 1999, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to notices of open meetings posted by the secretary of
1-9 state.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 551.044, Government Code,
1-12 is amended to read as follows:
1-13 (a) The secretary of state must post notice on the Internet
1-14 of a meeting of a state board, commission, department, or officer
1-15 having statewide jurisdiction for at least seven days before the
1-16 day of the meeting. The secretary of state shall provide during
1-17 regular office hours a computer terminal at a place convenient to
1-18 the public in the office of the secretary of state that members of
1-19 the public may use to view notices of meetings posted by the
1-20 secretary of state.
1-21 SECTION 2. Subsection (b), Section 551.048, Government Code,
1-22 is amended to read as follows:
1-23 (b) The secretary of state shall post the notice on the
1-24 Internet. The secretary of state shall provide during regular
1-25 office hours a computer terminal [a bulletin board] at a place
1-26 convenient to the public in the [main] office of the secretary of
1-27 state that members of the public may use to view the notice.
1-28 SECTION 3. Subsection (b), Section 551.053, Government Code,
1-29 is amended to read as follows:
1-30 (b) The secretary of state shall post the notice provided
1-31 under Subsection (a)(2) on the Internet. The secretary of state
1-32 shall provide during regular office hours a computer terminal [a
1-33 bulletin board] at a place convenient to the public in the [main]
1-34 office of the secretary of state that members of the public may use
1-35 to view the notice.
1-36 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. The
1-37 change in law made by this Act applies only to notices of meetings
1-38 that must first be posted by the secretary of state on or after
1-39 that date for the notice to be timely posted. Notices of meetings
1-40 that must first be posted by the secretary of state before that
1-41 date for the notice to be timely posted are governed by the law
1-42 that existed on the date the notice must first be posted to be
1-43 timely, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
1-44 * * * * *