HBA-LJP, EDN S.B. 170 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 170
By: Wentworth
State Affairs
3/1/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, when a quorum of members of a governmental body attend a
public meeting of a legislative committee and one or more of the members
testifies, answers questions, or furnishes information concerning an issue
within the jurisdiction of the governmental body to the legislative
committee, the governmental body and the legislative committee are required
to post separate notices under the open meetings law.  Senate Bill 170
provides that a quorum of a governmental body at a meeting of a legislative
committee is exempt from the public notice requirement under the open
meetings law. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 170 amends the Government Code to provide that the attendance
by a quorum of a governmental body at a legislative committee meeting
(committee meeting) is not considered to be a meeting of that governmental
body if the deliberations by members of the governmental body consist only
of publicly testifying, commenting, and responding at the committee meeting
to a question asked by a legislative committee member.  These provisions do
not apply to attendance at a committee meeting by members of the
legislative committee holding the committee meeting. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.