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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the meeting of a governmental body held by |
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videoconference call. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 551.127, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (c), (e), (f), and (h) and adding Subsection |
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(l) to read as follows: |
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(c) A meeting of a state governmental body or a governmental |
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body that extends into three or more counties may be held by |
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videoconference call only if the member [a majority of the quorum] |
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of the governmental body presiding over the meeting is physically |
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present at one location of the meeting that is open to the public |
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during the open portions of the meeting. |
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(e) The notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference |
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call must specify as a location of the meeting the location where a |
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quorum of the governmental body will be physically present and |
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specify the intent to have a quorum present at that location, except |
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that the notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference call |
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under Subsection (c) must specify as a location of the meeting the |
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[each] location where the member [a majority of the quorum] of the |
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governmental body presiding over the meeting will be physically |
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present and specify the intent to have the member [a majority of the
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quorum] of the governmental body presiding over the meeting present |
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at that location. The location where the member of the governmental |
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body presiding over the meeting is physically present [In addition,
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the notice of the meeting must specify as a location of the meeting
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each other location where a member of the governmental body who will
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participate in the meeting will be physically present during the
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meeting. Each of the locations] shall be open to the public during |
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the open portions of the meeting. |
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(f) Each portion of a meeting held by videoconference call |
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that is required to be open to the public shall be visible and |
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audible to the public at the [each] location specified under |
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Subsection (e). If a problem occurs that causes a meeting to no |
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longer be visible and audible to the public at that location, the |
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meeting must be recessed until the problem is resolved. If the |
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problem is not resolved in six hours or less, the meeting must be |
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adjourned. |
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(h) The [Each] location specified under Subsection (e), and |
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each remote location from which a member of the governmental body |
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participates, shall have two-way communication with each other |
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location during the entire meeting. The face of each [Each] |
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participant in the videoconference call, while that participant is |
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speaking, shall be clearly visible, and the voice audible, to each |
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other participant and, during the open portion of the meeting, to |
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the members of the public in attendance at a location of the |
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meeting. |
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(l) In any meeting held by videoconference call, a member of |
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the public present at a location where a member of the governmental |
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body is participating in the meeting by videoconference call must |
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be provided the opportunity to participate in the meeting by means |
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of the videoconference call in the same manner as a member of the |
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public who is physically present at a meeting of the governmental |
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body that is not held by videoconference call. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |