HB391 - Relating to board of directors meeting locations of certain special districts.

  89R19482 SCF-D     By: Bell of Kaufman, Gerdes, Noble, Zwiener, H.B. No. 391       Holt, et al.       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to board of directors meeting locations of certain special   districts.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 49.062(b-1), Water Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (b-1)   If the board of  [ In this subsection, "rural area   district" means ] a district in which more than half of the   district's projected retail water or sewer connections are active   [ and that is not wholly or partly located in a county that as of the   2010 Census had a population of 800,000 or more or bordered a county   with a population of 800,000 or more.     If the board of a rural area   district ] conducts meetings at least quarterly, the board shall   conduct a meeting at least once per quarter:                 (1)   at a designated meeting location :                       (A)   inside the district ;                       (B)   [ or ] within 10 miles of the boundary of the   district ; or                       (C)  if [ at least once per quarter.  If ] the board   determines that it is not practical to meet inside the district or   within 10 miles of the boundary of the district, [ the district may   conduct the quarterly meeting ] at another designated meeting place   in the county in which the district is located ; or                 (2)     by telephone conference call or video conference   call, as provided by Section 49.064(b) .          SECTION 2.  Section 49.064, Water Code, is amended to read as   follows:          Sec. 49.064.  MEETINGS. (a) The board shall hold such   regular and special meetings as may be necessary for the proper   conduct of the district's business. Except as provided by   Subsection (b), all [ All ] meetings shall be conducted in accordance   with [ the open meetings law, ] Chapter 551, Government Code. A   meeting of a committee of the board, or a committee composed of   representatives of more than one board, where less than a quorum of   any one board is present is not subject to the provisions of [ the   open meetings law, ] Chapter 551, Government Code.           (b)     Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, the board   may hold a regular or special meeting by telephone conference call   or video conference call if at least one board member participating   in the meeting is physically present at a location that is open to   the public during the open portions of the meeting.   A board member   who participates in a meeting by telephone conference call or video   conference call shall be counted as present at the meeting for all   purposes.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter G, Chapter 54, Water Code, is amended   by adding Section 54.6015 to read as follows:           Sec.   54.6015.     PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF TAX   RATE. A public hearing at which the adoption of a tax rate will be   considered must be conducted:                 (1)  at a designated meeting location:                       (A)  inside the district; or                       (B)     within 10 miles of the boundary of the   district; or                 (2)     by telephone conference call or video conference   call, as provided by Section 49.064(b).          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.