2005S0326-1 02/21/05
By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 690
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the required posting by a governmental body of a meeting
of the governmental body that is continued to the following regular
business day.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 551.0411 to read as follows:
Sec. 551.0411. NOTICE OF MEETING CONTINUED TO FOLLOWING
DAY. (a) Section 551.041 does not require a governmental body
that recesses a meeting to the following regular business day to
post notice of the continued meeting if the action is taken in good
faith and not to circumvent this chapter.
(b) If because of a catastrophe the governmental body is
prevented from convening the continued meeting on the following
regular business day, the governmental body may convene the
continued meeting on the next regular business day without posting
notice of the continued meeting under Section 551.041.
(c) In this section, "catastrophe" means a condition or
occurrence that interferes physically with the ability of a
governmental body to conduct a meeting, including:
(1) fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, or
wind, rain, or snow storm;
(2) labor dispute or strike;
(3) power failure, transportation failure, or
interruption of communication facilities;
(4) epidemic; or
(5) riot, civil disturbance, enemy attack, or other
actual or threatened act of lawlessness or violence.
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.