LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

Revision 1

May 22, 2013

TO:	Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2414 by Button (Relating to requirements for open meetings held by videoconference call. ), As Passed 2nd House

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend Chapter 551 of the Government Code regarding open meetings to authorize a member of a governmental body to participate remotely in a meeting by videoconference call and to authorize a governmental body to hold a meeting by videoconference call. The bill would require that a meeting of a governmental body held by videoconference call: provide at least one suitable physical space located in or within a reasonable distance of the geographic jurisdiction, if any, for members of the public to participate in the meeting that is equipped with videoconference equipment, including an audio and video display, camera, and microphone; and have present at the physical location the member of the governmental body who is presiding over the meeting. The notice of the meeting to be held by videoconference must specify the physical location made available for public participation. The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds majority vote in each house. Otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2013.

The bill would provide instances in which certain communications or exchanges of information between members of a governmental body do not constitute a meeting or deliberation. The bill would require certain actions to be taken by a governmental body that maintains an online message board or similar Internet application that is used for certain communications or exchanges of information.
 
Based on the analyses of several agencies, it is anticipated that costs to implement the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
 
The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds majority vote in each house; otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2013.

Local Government Impact

Fiscal impact to local governments associated with the bill, if any, would be optional, and it assumed videoconferencing would only be implemented if sufficient funds were available.

Source Agencies:

302 Office of the Attorney General, 303 Facilities Commission, 306 Library & Archives Commission, 313 Department of Information Resources, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality, 601 Department of Transportation, 696 Department of Criminal Justice, 701 Central Education Agency, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 809 Preservation Board

LBB Staff:

UP, KKR, EP, CK