Sec. 379B.0085. HEARINGS BY TELEPHONE OR SIMILAR MEANS. (a) As an exception to Chapter 551, Government Code, and other law, if the chairperson, president, vice chairperson, or vice president of a board, or chairperson or vice chairperson of a board committee, is physically present at a meeting of the board or committee, any number of the other members of the board or committee may attend the meeting by use of telephone conference call, video conference call, or other similar telecommunication device. This subsection applies for purposes of constituting a quorum, for purposes of voting, and for any other purpose allowing a board or committee member to otherwise fully participate in any board or committee meeting. This subsection applies without exception with regard to the subject of the meeting or topics considered by the members.

(b) A meeting held by use of telephone conference call, video conference call, or other similar telecommunication device:

(1) is subject to the notice requirements applicable to other meetings;

(2) must specify in the notice of the meeting the location of the meeting at which the president, vice president, chairperson, or vice chairperson will be physically present;

(3) must be open to the public and audible to the public at the location specified in the notice of the meeting as the location of the meeting at which the president, vice president, chairperson, or vice chairperson will be physically present; and

(4) must provide two-way audio communication between all board or committee members attending the meeting during the entire meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with any member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the meeting may not continue until the two-way audio communication link is reestablished.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1120 (H.B. 3879), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1382 (S.B. 1237), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 367 (H.B. 1345), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.