BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 772
81R4490 EAH-D By: Howard, Donna et al. (Davis, Wendy)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Chapter 551.128 (Internet Broadcast of Open Meeting), Government Code, gives a governmental body the option to broadcast an open meeting over the Internet. A governmental body choosing to exercise this option must establish an Internet site and provide access to the broadcast from that site. Since 2004, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has provided only the audio feed from the State Board of Education (SBOE) meetings on its website.
H.B. 772 requires TEA to provide a live webcast-video and audio of all SBOE meetings and maintain an archive of past meetings on the TEA website.
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 7.106, Education Code, as follows:
Sec. 7.106. MEETINGS. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text.
(b) Requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA), in a manner that complies with Section 551.128 (Internet Broadcast of Open Meeting), Government Code, to broadcast over the Internet live video and audio of each open meeting held by the State Board of Education. Requires TEA, subsequently, to make available through TEA's Internet website archived video and audio for each meeting for which live video and audio was provided under this subsection.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2009.