Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 551.087. DELIBERATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS; CLOSED MEETING. This chapter does not require a governmental body to conduct an open meeting: (1) to discuss or deliberate regarding commercial or financial information that the governmental body has received…

Sec. 551.088. DELIBERATION REGARDING TEST ITEM. This chapter does not require a governmental body to conduct an open meeting to deliberate a test item or information related to a test item if the governmental body believes that the test item may be included in a test the governme…

Sec. 551.089. DELIBERATION REGARDING SECURITY DEVICES OR SECURITY AUDITS; CLOSED MEETING. This chapter does not require a governmental body to conduct an open meeting to deliberate: (1) security assessments or deployments relating to information resources technology; (2) network …

Sec. 551.090. ENFORCEMENT COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY TEXAS STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTANCY. This chapter does not require an enforcement committee appointed by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy to conduct an open meeting to investigate and deliberate a disciplinary action…

Sec. 551.091. COMMISSIONERS COURTS: DELIBERATION REGARDING DISASTER OR EMERGENCY. (a) This section applies only to the commissioners court of a county: (1) for which the governor has issued an executive order or proclamation declaring a state of disaster or a state of emergency; …

Sec. 551.092. STATE GOVERNMENTAL BODIES: DEFENSE, MILITARY, AND AEROSPACE ISSUES; CLOSED MEETING. (a) In this section, "defense, military, or aerospace issue" means a matter related to: (1) the establishment of an office, base, or major facility in this state by the United States…

Sec. 551.101. REQUIREMENT TO FIRST CONVENE IN OPEN MEETING. If a closed meeting is allowed under this chapter, a governmental body may not conduct the closed meeting unless a quorum of the governmental body first convenes in an open meeting for which notice has been given as prov…

Sec. 551.102. REQUIREMENT TO VOTE OR TAKE FINAL ACTION IN OPEN MEETING. A final action, decision, or vote on a matter deliberated in a closed meeting under this chapter may only be made in an open meeting that is held in compliance with the notice provisions of this chapter. Adde…

Sec. 551.103. CERTIFIED AGENDA OR RECORDING REQUIRED. (a) A governmental body shall either keep a certified agenda or make a recording of the proceedings of each closed meeting, except for a private consultation permitted under Section 551.071. (b) The presiding officer shall cer…

Sec. 551.104. CERTIFIED AGENDA OR RECORDING; PRESERVATION; DISCLOSURE. (a) A governmental body shall preserve the certified agenda or recording of a closed meeting for at least two years after the date of the meeting. If an action involving the meeting is brought within that peri…

Sec. 551.121. GOVERNING BOARD OF INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION; BOARD FOR LEASE OF UNIVERSITY LANDS; TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD: SPECIAL MEETING FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION. (a) In this section, "governing board," "institution of higher education," and "university syste…

Sec. 551.122. GOVERNING BOARD OF JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT: QUORUM PRESENT AT ONE LOCATION. (a) This chapter does not prohibit the governing board of a junior college district from holding an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call. (b) A meeting held by telephone confe…

Sec. 551.123. TEXAS BOARD OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. (a) The Texas Board of Criminal Justice may hold an open or closed emergency meeting by telephone conference call. (b) The portion of the telephone conference call meeting that is open shall be recorded. The recording shall be made a…

Sec. 551.124. BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES. At the call of the presiding officer of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the board may hold a hearing on clemency matters by telephone conference call. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts…

Sec. 551.125. OTHER GOVERNMENTAL BODY. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, this chapter does not prohibit a governmental body from holding an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call. (b) A meeting held by telephone conference call may be held only if:…

Sec. 551.126. HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD. (a) In this section, "board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. (b) The board may hold an open meeting by telephone conference call or video conference call in order to consider a higher education impact stateme…

Sec. 551.127. VIDEOCONFERENCE CALL. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, this chapter does not prohibit a governmental body from holding an open or closed meeting by videoconference call. (a-1) A member or employee of a governmental body may participate remotely in a…

Sec. 551.128. INTERNET BROADCAST OF OPEN MEETING. (a) In this section, "Internet" means the largest nonproprietary cooperative public computer network, popularly known as the Internet. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1) and subject to the requirements of this section, a g…

Sec. 551.1281. GOVERNING BOARD OF GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTION OR UNIVERSITY SYSTEM: INTERNET POSTING OF MEETING MATERIALS AND BROADCAST OF OPEN MEETING. (a) In this section, "general academic teaching institution" and "university system" have the meanings assigned by Se…

Sec. 551.1282. GOVERNING BOARD OF JUNIOR COLLEGE DISTRICT: INTERNET POSTING OF MEETING MATERIALS AND BROADCAST OF OPEN MEETING. (a) This section applies only to the governing board of a junior college district with a total student enrollment of more than 20,000 in any semester of…

Sec. 551.1283. GOVERNING BODY OF CERTAIN WATER DISTRICTS: INTERNET POSTING OF MEETING MATERIALS; RECORDING OF CERTAIN HEARINGS. (a) This section only applies to a special purpose district subject to Chapter 51, 53, 54, or 55, Water Code, that has a population of 500 or more. (b) …

Sec. 551.129. CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN GOVERNMENTAL BODY AND ITS ATTORNEY. (a) A governmental body may use a telephone conference call, video conference call, or communications over the Internet to conduct a public consultation with its attorney in an open meeting of the governmenta…

Sec. 551.130. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF TEXAS: QUORUM PRESENT AT ONE LOCATION. (a) In this section, "board" means the board of trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. (b) This chapter does not prohibit the board or a board committee from holdin…

Sec. 551.131. WATER DISTRICTS. (a) In this section, "water district" means a river authority, groundwater conservation district, water control and improvement district, or other district created under Section 52, Article III, or Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution. (b) Th…

Sec. 551.141. ACTION VOIDABLE. An action taken by a governmental body in violation of this chapter is voidable. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Sec. 551.142. MANDAMUS; INJUNCTION. (a) An interested person, including a member of the news media, may bring an action by mandamus or injunction to stop, prevent, or reverse a violation or threatened violation of this chapter by members of a governmental body. (b) The court may …

Sec. 551.143. PROHIBITED SERIES OF COMMUNICATIONS; OFFENSE; PENALTY. (a) A member of a governmental body commits an offense if the member: (1) knowingly engages in at least one communication among a series of communications that each occur outside of a meeting authorized by this …

Sec. 551.144. CLOSED MEETING; OFFENSE; PENALTY. (a) A member of a governmental body commits an offense if a closed meeting is not permitted under this chapter and the member knowingly: (1) calls or aids in calling or organizing the closed meeting, whether it is a special or calle…

Sec. 551.145. CLOSED MEETING WITHOUT CERTIFIED AGENDA OR RECORDING; OFFENSE; PENALTY. (a) A member of a governmental body commits an offense if the member participates in a closed meeting of the governmental body knowing that a certified agenda of the closed meeting is not being …

Sec. 551.146. DISCLOSURE OF CERTIFIED AGENDA OR RECORDING OF CLOSED MEETING; OFFENSE; PENALTY; CIVIL LIABILITY. (a) An individual, corporation, or partnership that without lawful authority knowingly discloses to a member of the public the certified agenda or recording of a meetin…