HB 3256

Paul’s bill letting Gulf Coast Authority board meet by video

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to meetings of the board of directors of the Gulf Coast Authority.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

No monthly meeting rule, and votes by phone regardless of the Open Meetings Act.

This bill changes how the Gulf Coast Authority's board holds meetings. It drops the rule that the board meet at least once a month, and it lets the board meet, form a quorum, and vote by phone or video, open or closed, regardless of the state Open Meetings Act or the Water Code. For remote meetings, the public must get the usual notice plus a toll-free number, free access to any audio or video feed, instructions for speaking remotely, electronic copies of agenda materials, and a recording kept for at least one year.

Labels

Labels: BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 3893 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3256 · 2025-02-24

SOLD BY

Rep. Dennis PaulRHouse 129

ITEM

relating to meetings of the board of directors of the Gulf Coast Authority.

WHAT IT DOES

No monthly meeting rule, and votes by phone regardless of the Open Meetings Act.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Feb 24, 2025Filed
Mar 20, 2025Read first time
Mar 20, 2025Referred to Natural Resources

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Dennis Paul

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$25K Richard Weekley$13KRoger Elswick$11,000

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 27, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$25,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jun 25, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010120.

Richard Weekley$12,500.00

Richard Weekley

$12,500.00

Cash: $12,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $12,500.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jun 27, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jun 27, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010120.

Roger Elswick$11,000.00

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jun 25, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010120.

Richard Weekley

$12,500.00

Cash: $12,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $12,500.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jun 27, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jun 27, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010120.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 3893

by Rep. Paul, same lead author · Did not pass · same text

Introduced text

Last action, May 1, 2023: Received from the House

Relating to meetings of the board of directors of the Gulf Coast Authority.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 24, 2025

03/20/2025 H Referred to Natural Resources: Mar 20 2025 11:50AM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Natural Resources · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 1504 by Middleton (identical)

Subjects

GULF COAST AUTHORITY

Electronic Information Systems

Open Meetings

Special Districts & Authorities--Water & Utility

TELECONFERENCING

VIDEOCONFERENCING

Text

The text as introduced · 385 words

89R596 MP-F

By: Paul
H.B. No. 3256

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

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 [ at least

once each month, and may meet at any other time provided in its

bylaws ].

(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.