By: Canales (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa) H.B. No. 3440

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2023; May 11, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce; May 21, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 21, 2023, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3440 By: Campbell

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to posting and other requirements applicable to certain governmental bodies under the open meetings law.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 551.056, Government Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b) In addition to the other place at which notice or an agenda of a meeting is required to be posted by this subchapter, the following governmental bodies and economic development corporations must also concurrently post notice of a meeting and the agenda for the meeting, along with any supplemental written materials provided to the members of the governmental body or economic development corporation in advance of the meeting for use during the meeting, on the Internet website of the governmental body or economic development corporation:

(1) a municipality;

(2) a county;

(3) a school district;

(4) the governing body of a junior college or junior college district, including a college or district that has changed its name in accordance with Chapter 130, Education Code;

(5) a development corporation organized under the Development Corporation Act (Subtitle C1, Title 12, Local Government Code);

(6) a regional mobility authority included within the meaning of an "authority" as defined by Section 370.003, Transportation Code; [and]

(7) a joint board created under Section 22.074, Transportation Code; and

(8) a district or authority created under Section 52, Article III, or Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution.

(b-1) A governmental body or economic development corporation is not required to post information under Subsection (b) that is confidential or that may be withheld from disclosure under Chapter 552.

SECTION 2. Section 551.056(c), Government Code, is repealed.

SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an open meeting held on or after the effective date of this Act. An open meeting held before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the meeting was held, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.

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