Sec. 26.022. NOTICE OF HEARINGS; CONTINUANCE. (a) Except as otherwise provided in Sections 5.501, 5.504, 5.509, and 26.176, the provisions of this section apply to all hearings conducted in compliance with this chapter.

(b) Notice of the hearing shall be published at least once in a newspaper regularly published or circulated in each county where, by virtue of the county's geographical relation to the subject matter of the hearing, the commission has reason to believe persons reside who may be affected by the action that may be taken as a result of the hearing. The date of the publication shall be not less than 20 days before the date set for the hearing.

(c) If notice of the hearing is required by this chapter to be given to a person, the notice shall be served personally or mailed not less than 20 days before the date set for the hearing to the person at his last address known to the commission. If the party is not an individual, the notice may be given to any officer, agent, or legal representative of the party.

(d) The individual or individuals holding the hearing, called the hearing body, shall conduct the hearing at the time and place stated in the notice. The hearing body may continue the hearing from time to time and from place to place without the necessity of publishing, serving, mailing, or otherwise issuing a new notice.

(e) If a hearing is continued and a time and place for the hearing to reconvene are not publicly announced by the person conducting the hearing at the hearing before it is recessed, a notice of any further setting of the hearing shall be served personally or mailed in the manner prescribed in Subsection (c) of this section at a reasonable time before the new setting, but it is not necessary to publish a newspaper notice of the new setting.

Amended by Acts 1977, 65th Leg., p. 2207, ch. 870, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1977; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1072, Sec. 18, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.