one person in the room, everyone else on the phone

The text as introduced · 491 words

89R14469 DRS-D

By: Perry
S.B. No. 2145

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of the advisory body of a public

improvement district and the board of directors of a reinvestment

zone to hold a meeting by a telecommunication device.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 372, Local Government

Code, is amended by adding Section 372.0081 to read as follows:

Sec. 372.0081. ADVISORY BODY MEETINGS BY TELECOMMUNICATION

DEVICE. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, if a member of an

advisory body appointed under Section 372.008 is physically present

at a meeting of the advisory body, any number of the other members

of the advisory body may attend the meeting by use of telephone

conference call, video conference call, or other similar

telecommunication device. A member of the advisory body who

attends a meeting via a telecommunication device is considered

present for purposes of constituting a quorum, voting, and any

other form of participation in the meeting. This subsection

applies regardless of the subject of the meeting or topics

considered at the meeting.

(b) If an advisory body holds a meeting using a

telecommunication device in the manner provided by Subsection (a),

the advisory body must provide two-way audio communication between

board members attending the meeting and, if the two-way audio

communication link with a member is disrupted, stop the meeting

until the link is reestablished.

SECTION 2. Chapter 311, Tax Code, is amended by adding

Section 311.0093 to read as follows:

Sec. 311.0093. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS BY

TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICE. (a) Notwithstanding Chapter 551,

Government Code, or any other law, if the chair or vice chair of the

board of directors of a reinvestment zone is physically present at a

meeting of the board, any number of the other members of the board

may attend the meeting by use of telephone conference call, video

conference call, or other similar telecommunication device. A

member of the board who attends a meeting via a telecommunication

device is considered present for purposes of constituting a quorum,

voting, and any other form of participation in the board meeting.

This subsection applies regardless of the subject of the meeting or

topics considered at the meeting.

(b) If the board holds a meeting using a telecommunication

device in the manner provided by Subsection (a):

(1) the meeting is subject to the notice requirements

for other meetings;

(2) the board must specify in the notice the location

of the meeting at which the chair or vice chair will be physically

present;

(3) the board must make the meeting open and audible to

the public at the location specified under Subdivision (2); and

(4) the board must provide two-way audio communication

between board members attending the meeting and, if the two-way

audio communication link with a member is disrupted, stop the

meeting until the link is reestablished.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.