SRC-SEW H.B. 351 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 351 By: Truitt (Nelson) Intergovernmental Relations 5/7/2001 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, commissioners court meetings are required to be held at the county seat, either in the courthouse itself, in an auxiliary courthouse or annex, a county building that houses offices, or the district courts. These meetings may occur outside the county seat if they are at the regular meeting place of another political subdivision in the county or a building owned by the county, and the commissioners court meets with the governing body of that subdivision. The commissioners court can meet outside of the county seat, but still in the county, if the meeting is in a county-owned building or a building owned by a political subdivision located in the county and the place where the regular meetings are held cannot accommodate the number of persons expected to attend a particular meeting. H.B. 351 authorizes the commissioner's court of a county to, under certain conditions, hold a special term of the court in a municipality other than the county seat, but still within the boundaries of the county. 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 Sections 81.005(b) and (c), Local Government Code, as follows: (b) Authorizes a special term of the commissioners court to be held at a meeting place located in the county and outside the county seat under certain conditions. (c) Requires the term to be held at certain places except as provided by Subsections (b) and (f) of this section. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.