AN ACT
 1-1     relating to broadcasting public meetings over the Internet.
 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-3           SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
 1-4     amended by adding Section 551.128 to read as follows:
 1-5           Sec. 551.128.  INTERNET BROADCAST OF OPEN MEETING.  (a)  In
 1-6     this section, "Internet" means the largest nonproprietary
 1-7     cooperative public computer network, popularly known as the
 1-8     Internet.
 1-9           (b)  Subject to the requirements of this section, a
1-10     governmental body may broadcast an open meeting over the Internet.
1-11           (c)  A governmental body that broadcasts a meeting over the
1-12     Internet shall establish an Internet site and provide access to the
1-13     broadcast from that site.  The governmental body shall provide on
1-14     the Internet site the same notice of the meeting that the
1-15     governmental body is required to post under Subchapter C.  The
1-16     notice on the Internet must be posted within the time required for
1-17     posting notice under Subchapter C.
1-18           SECTION 2.  The subchapter heading to Subchapter F, Chapter
1-19     551, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
1-20                SUBCHAPTER F.  MEETINGS USING [BY] TELEPHONE,
1-21          [CONFERENCE CALL OR] VIDEOCONFERENCE, OR INTERNET [CALL]
1-22           SECTION 3.  (a)  The Department of Information Resources
1-23     shall form a task force to determine whether:
1-24                 (1)  a governmental body can:
 2-1                       (A)  receive real-time testimony from a person
 2-2     watching the broadcast of a meeting of the governmental body over
 2-3     the Internet; and
 2-4                       (B)  provide a way for the public to comment to
 2-5     the governmental body over the Internet on the issues discussed at
 2-6     the meeting; and
 2-7                 (2)  the audio and video signals broadcast over the
 2-8     Internet can be of sufficient quality so that members of the public
 2-9     watching the broadcast of the meeting can observe the demeanor and
2-10     hear the voice of each participant in the open portion of the
2-11     meeting.
2-12           (b)  The Department of Information Resources shall report its
2-13     findings to the legislature not later than September 1, 2000.
2-14           SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-15           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-16     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-17     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-18     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-19     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1252 passed the Senate on
         April 7, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1252 passed the House on
         May 3, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                     Date
         _______________________________
                   Governor