| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to certain notice requirements for municipalities and |
|
|
counties under the open meetings law. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 551.0415, Government Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 551.0415. GOVERNING BODY OF MUNICIPALITY OR |
|
|
COUNTY: REPORTS ABOUT ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST REGARDING WHICH |
|
|
NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. (a) Notwithstanding Sections 551.041 and |
|
|
551.042, a quorum of the governing body of a municipality or county |
|
|
may receive from [municipal] staff of the political subdivision and |
|
|
a member of the governing body may make a report about items of |
|
|
community interest during a meeting of the governing body without |
|
|
having given notice of the subject of the report as required by this |
|
|
subchapter if no action is taken and, except as provided by Section |
|
|
551.042, possible action is not discussed regarding the information |
|
|
provided in the report. |
|
|
(b) For purposes of Subsection (a), "items of community |
|
|
interest" includes: |
|
|
(1) expressions of thanks, congratulations, or |
|
|
condolence; |
|
|
(2) information regarding holiday schedules; |
|
|
(3) an honorary or salutary recognition of a public |
|
|
official, public employee, or other citizen, except that a |
|
|
discussion regarding a change in the status of a person's public |
|
|
office or public employment is not an honorary or salutary |
|
|
recognition for purposes of this subdivision; |
|
|
(4) a reminder about an upcoming event organized or |
|
|
sponsored by the governing body; |
|
|
(5) information regarding a social, ceremonial, or |
|
|
community event organized or sponsored by an entity other than the |
|
|
governing body that was attended or is scheduled to be attended by a |
|
|
member of the governing body or an official or employee of the |
|
|
political subdivision [municipality]; and |
|
|
(6) announcements involving an imminent threat to the |
|
|
public health and safety of people in the political subdivision |
|
|
[municipality] that has arisen after the posting of the agenda. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 551.050, Government Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 551.050. MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTAL BODY: PLACE OF |
|
|
POSTING NOTICE. (a) A municipal governmental body: |
|
|
(1) shall post notice of each meeting on a bulletin |
|
|
board at a place convenient to the public in the city hall; and |
|
|
(2) may post notice of each meeting on the |
|
|
municipality's official Internet website. |
|
|
(b) A municipal governmental body posting notice on the |
|
|
Internet under Subsection (a) shall provide during regular office |
|
|
hours a computer terminal at certain municipal facilities |
|
|
convenient to the public that members of the public may use to view |
|
|
notices of meetings posted by the municipality. |
|
|
SECTION 3. 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, 2011. |