Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 551.080. BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES. This chapter does not require the Board of Pardons and Paroles to conduct an open meeting to interview or counsel an inmate of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.…

Sec. 551.081. CREDIT UNION COMMISSION. This chapter does not require the Credit Union Commission to conduct an open meeting to deliberate a matter made confidential by law. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Sec. 551.0811. THE FINANCE COMMISSION OF TEXAS. This chapter does not require The Finance Commission of Texas to conduct an open meeting to deliberate a matter made confidential by law. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.01(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1995.

Sec. 551.082. SCHOOL CHILDREN; SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES; DISCIPLINARY MATTER OR COMPLAINT. (a) This chapter does not require a school board to conduct an open meeting to deliberate in a case: (1) involving discipline of a public school child; or (2) in which a complaint or charg…

Sec. 551.0821. SCHOOL BOARD: PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT. (a) This chapter does not require a school board to conduct an open meeting to deliberate a matter regarding a public school student if personally identifiable information about the stud…

Sec. 551.084. INVESTIGATION; EXCLUSION OF WITNESS FROM HEARING. A governmental body that is investigating a matter may exclude a witness from a hearing during the examination of another witness in the investigation. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 19…

Sec. 551.085. GOVERNING BOARD OF CERTAIN PROVIDERS OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES. (a) This chapter does not require the governing board of a municipal hospital, municipal hospital authority, county hospital, county hospital authority, hospital district created under general or special …

Sec. 551.086. CERTAIN PUBLIC POWER UTILITIES: COMPETITIVE MATTERS. (a) Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the contrary, the rules provided by this section apply to competitive matters of a public power utility. (b) In this section: (1) "Public power utility" means an ent…

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…

Sec. 552.001. POLICY; CONSTRUCTION. (a) Under the fundamental philosophy of the American constitutional form of representative government that adheres to the principle that government is the servant and not the master of the people, it is the policy of this state that each person…

Sec. 552.002. DEFINITION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION; MEDIA CONTAINING PUBLIC INFORMATION. (a) In this chapter, "public information" means information that is written, produced, collected, assembled, or maintained under a law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of offici…

Sec. 552.003. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Governmental body": (A) means: (i) a board, commission, department, committee, institution, agency, or office that is within or is created by the executive or legislative branch of state government and that is directed by one or mo…

Sec. 552.0031. BUSINESS DAYS. (a) Except as provided by this section, in this chapter "business day" means a day other than: (1) a Saturday or Sunday; (2) a national holiday under Section 662.003(a); or (3) a state holiday under Section 662.003(b). (b) The fact that an employee w…

Sec. 552.0035. ACCESS TO INFORMATION OF JUDICIARY. (a) Access to information collected, assembled, or maintained by or for the judiciary is governed by rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Texas or by other applicable laws and rules. (b) This section does not address whether inf…

Sec. 552.0036. CERTAIN PROPERTY OWNERS' ASSOCIATIONS SUBJECT TO LAW. A property owners' association is subject to this chapter in the same manner as a governmental body: (1) if: (A) membership in the property owners' association is mandatory for owners or for a defined class of o…

Sec. 552.0038. PUBLIC RETIREMENT SYSTEMS SUBJECT TO LAW. (a) In this section, "governing body of a public retirement system" and "public retirement system" have the meanings assigned those terms by Section 802.001. (b) Except as provided by Subsections (c) through (i), the govern…

Sec. 552.004. PRESERVATION OF INFORMATION. (a) A governmental body or, for information of an elective county office, the elected county officer, may determine a time for which information that is not currently in use will be preserved, subject to Subsection (b) and to any applica…