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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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proposing a constitutional amendment providing for open meetings of |
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each House of the Legislature, and its committees and |
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subcommittees. |
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BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 16, Article III, Texas Constitution, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 16 (a) The sessions of each House shall be open, except |
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the Senate when in Executive session. |
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(b) The Legislature by general law may administer and |
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enforce the requirement of Subsection (a) of this section. |
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(c) All meetings of every committee of each House at which |
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official acts are to be taken or at which public business is to be |
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transacted or discussed shall be open and noticed to the public and |
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meetings of the legislature shall be open and noticed as provided in |
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Article III, Section 4(e), except with respect to meetings exempted |
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pursuant to this section or specifically closed by this |
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Constitution. The Legislature may provide by general law, passed by |
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a two-thirds vote of each House, for the exemption of meetings from |
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the requirements of this section, provided that such law shall |
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state with specificity the public necessity justifying the |
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exemption and shall be no broader than necessary to accomplish the |
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stated purpose of the law. As used in this section, the term |
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"committee" means any committee created by or under the authority |
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of a House, its presiding officer, or other officer granted that |
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authority by the rules of that House to create a committee, and |
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includes working groups. |
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SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
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submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 8, 2007. |
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The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
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proposition: "The constitutional amendment providing for open |
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meetings of each House of the Legislature, and its committees and |
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subcommittees." |