By: Estes S.B. No. 916

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to quorums and meetings by teleconference of the Texas Bioenergy Policy Council and the Texas Bioenergy Research Committee.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subsection (e), Section 50D.011, Agriculture Code, is amended to read as follows:

(e) Subject to Section 50D.017, the [The] policy council is subject to Chapters 551 and 2001, Government Code.

SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 50D, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding Sections 50D.016 and 50D.017 to read as follows:

Sec. 50D.016. QUORUM. A quorum of the policy council consists of not less than half of the members of the policy council. A member who participates in a meeting by telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method may be counted to establish a quorum.

Sec. 50D.017. MEETING BY TELECONFERENCE. (a) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any other law, the policy council may hold an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method if:

(1) notice is given for the meeting as for other meetings;

(2) the notice specifies a location for the meeting at which the public may attend;

(3) each part of the meeting that is required to be open to the public is audible to the public at the location specified in the notice of the meeting; and

(4) the meeting is recorded by electronic or other means and the recording of each portion of the meeting that is required to be open to the public is made available to the public.

(b) A member of the policy council may participate by telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method in a policy council meeting at which other members are physically present and may vote.

SECTION 3. Subsection (e), Section 50D.021, Agriculture Code, is amended to read as follows:

(e) Subject to Section 50D.026, [The] research committee is subject to Chapters 551 and 2001, Government Code.

SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 50D, Agriculture Code, is amended by adding Sections 50D.025 and 50D.026 to read as follows:

Sec. 50D.025. QUORUM. A quorum of the research committee consists of not less than half of the members of the research committee. A member who participates in a meeting by telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method may be counted to establish a quorum.

Sec. 50D.026. MEETING BY TELECONFERENCE. (a) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any other law, the research committee may hold an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method if:

(1) notice is given for the meeting as for other meetings;

(2) the notice specifies a location for the meeting at which the public may attend;

(3) each part of the meeting that is required to be open to the public is audible to the public at the location specified in the notice of the meeting; and

(4) the meeting is recorded by electronic or other means and the recording of each portion of the meeting that is required to be open to the public is made available to the public.

(b) A member of the research committee may participate by telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method in a research committee meeting at which other members are physically present and may vote.

SECTION 5. 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, 2013.