SRC-SEW H.B. 35 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 35 77R6656 JD-DBy: McClendon (Armbrister) State Affairs 5/8/2001 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Holding public meetings through the use of videoconference calls offers the potential for lowering the costs associated with traveling to the meetings and increasing participation in the meetings. However, current law states that a videoconference call may only be used in a public meeting if a quorum of the governmental body is physically present at one location of the meeting. H.B. 35 authorizes a meeting of a governmental body that extends into three or more counties to be held by videoconference call only if a majority of the quorum of the governmental body is physically present at one location of the meeting. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 551.127, Government Code, as follows: Sec. 551.127. (a) No change. (b) Authorizes a meeting to be held by videoconference call only if a quorum of the governmental body is physically present at one location of the meeting, except as provided by Subsection (c). (c) Authorizes a meeting of a state governmental body or a governmental body that extends into three or more counties to be held by videoconference call only if a majority of the quorum of the governmental body is physically present at one location of the meeting. (d) Makes a nonsubstantive change. (e) Makes a nonsubstantive change. Requires the notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference call to specify as a location of the meeting the location where a quorum of the governmental body will be physically present and specify the intent to have a quorum present at that location, except that the notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference call under Subsection (c) is required to specify as a location of the meeting each location where a majority of the quorum of the governmental body will be physically present and specify the intent to have a majority of the quorum of the governmental body present at that location. (f) - (k) Makes nonsubstantive and conforming changes. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.