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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of certain water planning entities to |
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hold an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call or |
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videoconference call. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 16.052, Water Code, is amended by adding |
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Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) The council and any committee or subcommittee of the |
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council may hold an open or closed meeting by telephone conference |
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call or videoconference call. A meeting held by telephone |
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conference call is subject to the requirements of Sections |
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551.125(c)-(f), Government Code. A meeting held by videoconference |
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call is subject to the requirements of Section 551.127, Government |
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Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 16.053(h)(12), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(12) Each regional water planning group and any |
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committee or subcommittee of a regional water planning group is |
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[are] subject to Chapters 551 and 552, Government Code. A regional |
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water planning group and any committee or subcommittee of the group |
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may hold an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call or |
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videoconference call. A meeting held by telephone conference call |
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is subject to the requirements of Sections 551.125(c)-(f), |
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Government Code. A meeting held by videoconference call is subject |
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to the requirements of Section 551.127, Government Code. |
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SECTION 3. Section 16.062(l), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(l) Each flood planning group and any committee or |
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subcommittee of a flood planning group is subject to Chapters 551 |
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and 552, Government Code. A flood planning group and any committee |
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or subcommittee of the group may hold an open or closed meeting by |
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telephone conference call or videoconference call. A meeting held |
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by telephone conference call is subject to the requirements of |
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Sections 551.125(c)-(f), Government Code. A meeting held by |
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videoconference call is subject to the requirements of Section |
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551.127, Government Code. |
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SECTION 4. Section 36.108(e), Water Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) Except as provided by this section, a joint meeting |
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under this section must be held in accordance with Chapter 551, |
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Government Code. Each district shall comply with Chapter 552, |
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Government Code. The district representatives may hold a joint |
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meeting by telephone conference call or videoconference call. A |
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meeting held by telephone conference call is subject to the |
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requirements of Sections 551.125(c)-(f), Government Code. A |
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meeting held by videoconference call is subject to the requirements |
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of Section 551.127, Government Code. The district representatives |
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may elect one district to be responsible for providing the notice of |
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a joint meeting that this section would otherwise require of each |
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district in the management area. Notice of a joint meeting must be |
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provided at least 10 days before the date of the meeting by: |
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(1) providing notice to the secretary of state; |
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(2) providing notice to the county clerk of each |
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county located wholly or partly in a district that is located wholly |
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or partly in the management area; and |
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(3) posting notice at a place readily accessible to |
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the public at the district office of each district located wholly or |
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partly in the management area. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |