By:  Zaffirini                                                    S.B. No. 690
	(In the Senate - Filed February 23, 2005; March 2, 2005, 
read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; 
April 7, 2005, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 
Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 7, 2005, 
sent to printer.)


COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 690                                    By:  Lucio

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the requirement to post meetings of a governmental body under the open meetings law in certain circumstances. 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. MEETING NOTICE REQUIREMENTS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. (a) Section 551.041 does not require a governmental body that recesses an open 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) A governmental body that is prevented from convening an open meeting that was otherwise properly posted under Section 551.041 because of a catastrophe may convene the meeting in a convenient location within 72 hours pursuant to Section 551.045 if the action is taken in good faith and not to circumvent this chapter. (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) power failure, transportation failure, or interruption of communication facilities; (3) epidemic; or (4) 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.
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