SRC-SEW, CTC S.B. 131 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 131
77R408 JRD-DBy: Wentworth
State Affairs
2/5/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, state governmental bodies are required to post notice on
the Internet of a meeting at least seven days before the date of a meeting.
This forces agencies that meet weekly to post meeting agendas that  may be
inaccurate since the notice for the next meeting is posted before the
conclusion of the prior meeting.  Consequently, items may be posted on
several meeting agendas and interested parties must attend multiple
meetings in order to witness a particular item being acted on by the
agency. As proposed, S.B. 131 requires the posting of a notice on the
Internet by a state governmental body to be at least five days before the
date 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 551.044(a), Government Code, to reduce the number
of days before which the secretary of state must post notice on the
Internet of a meeting of a state board, commission, department, or officer
having statewide jurisdiction from at least seven to at least five days. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.
                      Makes application of this Act prospective to
September 6, 2001.