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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

S.B. 1650

By: Campbell

Government Efficiency & Reform

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

According to interested parties, regional tollway authorities, metropolitan planning organizations, and regional mobility authorities are not required to provide a live Internet broadcast of an open meeting or public hearing, nor to make audio or video archives available to the public online and free of charge. These parties contend that a person cannot monitor these proceedings unless the person attends the public meetings in person.  S.B. 1650 seeks to address this issue by requiring regional tollway authorities, metropolitan planning organizations, and regional mobility authorities to provide over the Internet both live broadcasts and archived recordings of their hearings and open meetings at no charge to the public.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS

 

S.B. 1650 amends the Government Code to specify that a governmental body that broadcasts a meeting over the Internet and that is required to establish an Internet site for that purpose is required to provide access to the broadcast from that site without charge.

 

S.B. 1650 amends the Transportation Code to require a regional tollway authority, a regional mobility authority, and a metropolitan planning organization to broadcast over the Internet live video and audio of each open meeting held by the applicable governmental entity in a manner that complies with Government Code requirements for the establishment of an Internet site for such purposes, the provision of access to the broadcast from that site without charge, and the provision of related public notices. The bill requires the authority or organization to make available through the governmental entity's Internet website archived video and audio for each meeting for which live video and audio was provided. The bill exempts a regional mobility authority composed of three or more counties from the requirement for live Internet broadcasts and subsequent Internet posting of archived video and audio recordings of open meetings held by the authority.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2013.