BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 523
85R931 DDT-D	By: Schofield et al. (Kolkhorst)
	Education
	5/15/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Interested parties assert that boards of trustees for certain school districts may be using a loophole in state open meetings law regarding the recording and online broadcast of certain meetings to avoid publicizing unpopular proceedings. H.B. 523 seeks to require the recording and online availability of any special called meeting or work session in which an elected board of trustees for certain districts votes on any matter or hears public comment or testimony.

H.B. 523 amends current law relating to the requirement that certain elected school district boards make audio and video recordings of certain work sessions and special called meetings available on the Internet.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 551.128(b-1), Government Code, as follows:

(b-1) Requires certain governmental bodies to make a video and audio recording of reasonable quality of each open meeting that is a work session or special called meeting if the governmental body is an elected school district board of trustees for a school district that has a student enrollment of 10,000 or more and at the work session or special called meeting, the board of trustees votes on any matter or allows public comment or testimony. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.