Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB523 by Schofield (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.), As Engrossed
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
This bill would amend the Texas Government Code to require school districts with an enrollment of 10,000 or more students to make video and audio recordings available on the internet of open meetings that are work sessions or special called meetings in which the board of trustees votes on any matter or allows public comment or testimony.
The bill's provisions would apply to any meeting held on or after the effective date of the bill. The bill would take effect September 1, 2017.
Local Government Impact
According to the Texas Education Agency, 111 school districts would be required to post video and audio recordings on the internet to satisfy the bill's requirements. These same districts are currently required to make audio and video recordings available on the internet for regularly scheduled meetings, but the bill would add categories of meetings to this requirement. Additional local costs for staff and equipment may be needed for the recording, uploading and recording storage requirements of the bill.
Assuming five hours of work per meeting, three work sessions or special called meetings per year, and a personnel cost of $25 per hour, each district would have additional personnel cost of $375 per year. Prorated equipment costs per district are estimated at $150 per year per district. This results in total per district costs of $525 per year. The total cost for all 111 districts is estimated to be $58,275.