79R2354 JD-D

By:  Goodman                                                      H.B. No. 305



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the prohibition against members of a governmental body 
meeting in numbers less than a quorum.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 551.143, Government Code, is amended by 
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
	(c)  Subsection (a) does not prohibit a group of members of a 
governmental body from meeting in numbers less than a quorum to 
discuss public business or public policy over which the 
governmental body has supervision or control if:
		(1)  the discussion is limited only to:                                
			(A)  the exchanging of information about the 
public business or public policy among the members present;
			(B)  the receiving of information by the members 
present from an officer or employee of the governmental body about 
the public business or public policy; or
			(C)  the giving of information by the members 
present to an officer or employee of the governmental body about the 
public business or public policy;
		(2)  no action is taken by the members present on the 
public business or public policy that was the subject of the 
discussion; and
		(3)  the content of the discussion is not privately 
shared or discussed with any member of the governmental body not 
present before the information is shared or discussed with a quorum 
of the governmental body in an open meeting.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.