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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. Sections 551.127(c), (e), (f), and (h), |
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Government Code, are amended 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. [In addition, the notice of the meeting must
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specify as a location of the meeting each other location where a
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member of the governmental body who will participate in the meeting
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will be physically present during the meeting.] The [Each of the] |
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location[s] where the member of the governmental body presiding |
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over the meeting is physically present shall be open to the public |
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during 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). |
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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. Each participant in the |
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videoconference call, while speaking, shall be clearly visible and |
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audible to each other participant and, during the open portion of |
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the meeting, to the members of the public in attendance at a |
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location of the meeting. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |