SB 1339
Hancock’s bill requiring water districts to record meetings
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 a requirement that certain water districts make audio and video recordings of open meetings available on the Internet.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Audio and video recordings, archived on the Internet.
The bill adds water districts governed by Chapters 36, 49, or 60 of the Water Code to the list of local bodies that must video and audio record their regular open meetings. Those districts must also post an archived copy of each recording on the Internet. Starting with meetings held on or after September 1, 2025, residents can watch these water district meetings online instead of having to attend in person.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 18, 2025 and referred to the Senate Local Government committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB1339 · 2025-02-18
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to a requirement that certain water districts make audio and video recordings of open meetings available on the Internet.
WHAT IT DOES
Audio and video recordings, archived on the Internet.
The bill adds water districts governed by Chapters 36, 49, or 60 of the Water Code to the list of local bodies that must video and audio record their regular open meetings. Those districts must also post an archived copy of each recording on the Internet. Starting with meetings held on or after September 1, 2025, residents can watch these water district meetings online instead of having to attend in person.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Local Government
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Top donors to Texans for Kelly Hancock SPAC during his Senate service. Not tied to this bill.
Sources
Gifts to Texans for Kelly Hancock SPAC dated July 1, 2024 to June 18, 2025, while he served in the Senate.
Derived from itemized gifts. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
MoneyMissing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
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.
Sources
Texas Senate · Filed Feb 18, 2025
02/28/2025 S Referred to Local Government
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · Local Government · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
HB 638 by Tepper (identical)
Subjects
Open Meetings
Special Districts & Authorities--Water & Utility
INTERNET
Text
The text as introduced · 324 words
89R282 MCK-D By: Hancock S.B. No. 1339 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to a requirement that certain water districts make audio and video recordings of open meetings available on the Internet. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 551.128(b-1), Government Code, is amended to read as follows: (b-1) A transit authority or department subject to Chapter 451, 452, 453, or 460, Transportation Code, a district subject to Chapter 36, 49, or 60, Water Code, an elected school district board of trustees for a school district that has a student enrollment of 10,000 or more, an elected governing body of a home-rule municipality that has a population of 50,000 or more, or a county commissioners court for a county that has a population of 125,000 or more shall: (1) make a video and audio recording of reasonable quality of each: (A) regularly scheduled open meeting that is not a work session or a special called meeting; and (B) open meeting that is a work session or special called meeting if: (i) the governmental body is an elected school district board of trustees for a school district that has a student enrollment of 10,000 or more; and (ii) at the work session or special called meeting, the board of trustees votes on any matter or allows public comment or testimony; and (2) make available an archived copy of the video and audio recording of each meeting described by Subdivision (1) on the Internet. SECTION 2. 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 that is held before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date of the open meeting, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.