BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3593

By: Burkett

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that requiring organizations that represent public interests to make meeting materials publicly available allows more individuals to get involved with and to understand relevant business matters. Given that each person who wants to attend a meeting may not be able to do so, the parties call for mechanisms by which a lack of presence at these meetings does not result in a lack of knowledge or opportunity to engage in civic discussion. C.S.H.B. 3593 seeks to increase transparency for open board meetings of metropolitan planning organizations.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

C.S.H.B. 3593 amends the Transportation Code to require the policy board of a metropolitan planning organization to broadcast each open meeting of the policy board on the policy board's website in the manner prescribed by state open meetings law relating to the Internet broadcast of an open meeting. The bill requires the policy board to make available through the policy board's website archived video and audio for each open meeting broadcast and to post the minutes of each open meeting on the policy board's website not later than 10 days after the date the policy board approves the minutes.

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2016.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 3593 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 372, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 372.002 to read as follows: Sec. 372.002.  BROADCAST OF OPEN MEETINGS.  A toll project entity shall broadcast each open meeting of the board on the entity's Internet website in the manner prescribed by Section 551.128, Government Code.	No equivalent provision.
SECTION 2.  Subchapter K, Chapter 451, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 451.521 to read as follows: Sec. 451.521.  BOARD MEETINGS:  BROADCAST.  An authority shall broadcast each open meeting of the board on the authority's Internet website in the manner prescribed by Section 551.128, Government Code.	No equivalent provision.
SECTION 3.  Subchapter M, Chapter 452, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 452.5461 to read as follows: Sec. 452.5461.  BROADCAST OF BOARD MEETINGS.  An authority shall broadcast each open meeting of the board on the authority's Internet website in the manner prescribed by Section 551.128, Government Code.	No equivalent provision.
SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 453, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 453.0541 to read as follows: Sec. 453.0541.  BROADCAST OF BOARD MEETINGS.  A transit department shall broadcast each open meeting of the board on the transit department's Internet website in the manner prescribed by Section 551.128, Government Code.	No equivalent provision.
SECTION 5.  Subchapter B, Chapter 457, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 457.0521 to read as follows: Sec. 457.0521.  BROADCAST OF BOARD MEETINGS.  An authority shall broadcast each open meeting of the board on the authority's Internet website in the manner prescribed by Section 551.128, Government Code.	No equivalent provision.
SECTION 6.  Subchapter D, Chapter 460, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 460.2041 to read as follows: Sec. 460.2041.  BROADCAST OF MEETINGS.  An authority shall broadcast each open meeting of the board on the authority's Internet website in the manner prescribed by Section 551.128, Government Code.	No equivalent provision.
SECTION 7.  Subchapter D, Chapter 472, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 472.036 to read as follows: Sec. 472.036.  BROADCAST OF POLICY BOARD MEETINGS.  A policy board shall broadcast each open meeting of the policy board on the policy board's Internet website in the manner prescribed by Section 551.128, Government Code.	SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 472, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 472.036 to read as follows: Sec. 472.036.  ONLINE ACCESS TO POLICY BOARD MEETINGS.  (a)  A policy board shall broadcast each open meeting of the policy board on the policy board's Internet website in the manner prescribed by Section 551.128, Government Code. The policy board shall make available through the policy board's Internet website archived video and audio for each open meeting broadcast under this section. (b)  The policy board shall post the minutes of each open meeting on the policy board's Internet website not later than 10 days after the date the policy board approves the minutes.
SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2016.