| 89R596 MP-F | ||
| By: Paul | H.B. No. 3256 | |
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| relating to meetings of the board of directors of the Gulf Coast | ||
| Authority. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 2.07, Chapter 409, Acts of the 61st | ||
| Legislature, Regular Session, 1969, is amended by amending | ||
| Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), and (h) to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| (a) The board shall meet regularly as necessary [ |
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| (d) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, Chapter | ||
| 49, Water Code, or any other law, the board may hold an open or | ||
| closed meeting by telephone conference call, videoconference, or | ||
| other similar telecommunication method. The board may use a | ||
| telephone conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
| telecommunication method for purposes of establishing a quorum, for | ||
| voting, or for any other meeting purpose. | ||
| (e) A meeting held by telephone conference call, | ||
| videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method is | ||
| subject to the notice requirements applicable to other board | ||
| meetings. | ||
| (f) The notice of a meeting to be held by telephone | ||
| conference call, videoconference, or other similar | ||
| telecommunication method must include: | ||
| (1) a toll-free telephone number that members of the | ||
| public may use to hear and, if applicable, speak at the meeting; | ||
| (2) free-of-charge access information for any | ||
| audiovisual or audio-only feeds; and | ||
| (3) instructions for a member of the public to speak at | ||
| the meeting from a remote location. | ||
| (g) If the board prepares an agenda packet or other | ||
| materials that would have been distributed to members of the public | ||
| at a face-to-face meeting, the board shall make the packet or other | ||
| materials available electronically. | ||
| (h) A meeting held by telephone conference call, | ||
| videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method shall | ||
| be recorded. The recording shall be made available to the public. | ||
| The board shall maintain a copy of the recording for at least one | ||
| year after the date of the hearing. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||