TITLE: Relating to the Internet broadcast of open meetings of the Texas Board of Nursing.

SUMMARY: Relating to the Internet broadcast of open meetings of the Texas Board of Nursing.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the Internet broadcast of open meetings of the Texas Board of Nursing. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 301, Occupations Code, is amended by adding Section 301.0581 to read as follows: Sec. 301.0581. INTERNET BROADCAST AND ARCHIVE OF OPEN MEETINGS. (a) The board shall broadcast over the Internet live video and audio of each open meeting of the board. The board shall provide access to the broadcast on the board's Internet website. (b) Not later than the seventh day after the date an open meeting is broadcast under this section, the board shall make available through the board's Internet website archived video and audio of the open meeting. The board shall maintain the archived video and audio of the open meeting on the board's Internet website until the second anniversary of the date the archived video and audio was first made available on the website. (c) The board shall provide on the board's Internet website the same notice of the open meeting that the board is required to post under Subchapter C, Chapter 551, Government Code. The notice must be posted on the board's Internet website within the time required for posting notice under Subchapter C, Chapter 551, Government Code. (d) The board may use for an Internet broadcast of an open meeting of the board a room made available to the board on request in any state building, as that term is defined by Section 2165.301, Government Code. (e) The board is exempt from the requirements of this section to the extent a catastrophe, as defined by Section 551.0411, Government Code, or a technical breakdown prevents the board from complying with this section. Following the catastrophe or technical breakdown, the board shall make all reasonable efforts to make the required video and audio of the open meeting available in a timely manner. (f) The board shall consider contracting through competitive bidding with a private individual or entity to broadcast and archive an open meeting subject to this section to minimize the cost of complying with this section. SECTION 2. Section 301.0581, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an open meeting held on or after September 1, 2019. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.