2023 Texas Statutes › Government Code › Title 5 - Open Government; Ethics › Subtitle A - Open Government › Chapter 551 - Open Meetings › Subchapter F. Meetings Using Telephone, Videoconference, or Internet › Section 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

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 system" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.
(b)  This chapter does not prohibit the governing board of an institution of higher education, the Board for Lease of University Lands, or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board from holding an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call.
(c)  A meeting held by telephone conference call authorized by this section may be held only if:
(1)  the meeting is a special called meeting and immediate action is required; and
(2)  the convening at one location of a quorum of the governing board, the Board for Lease of University Lands, or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, as applicable, is difficult or impossible.
(d)  The telephone conference call meeting is subject to the notice requirements applicable to other meetings.
(e)  The notice of a telephone conference call meeting of a governing board must specify as the location of the meeting the location where meetings of the governing board are usually held.  For a meeting of the governing board of a university system, the notice must specify as the location of the meeting the board's conference room at the university system office.  For a meeting of the Board for Lease of University Lands, the notice must specify as the location of the meeting a suitable conference or meeting room at The University of Texas System office.  For a meeting of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the notice must specify as the location of the meeting a suitable conference or meeting room at the offices of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or at an institution of higher education.
(f)  Each part of the telephone conference call meeting that is required to be open to the public must be:
(1)  audible to the public at the location specified in the notice of the meeting as the location of the meeting;
(2)  broadcast over the Internet in the manner prescribed by Section 551.128; and
(3)  recorded and made available to the public in an online archive located on the Internet website of the entity holding the meeting.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.  Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1266, Sec. 4.05, 4.06, eff. June 20, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 538 (S.B. 1046), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 538 (S.B. 1046), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 778 (H.B. 3827), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 778 (H.B. 3827), Sec. 3, eff. June 15, 2007.
Reenacted by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 11.013, eff. September 1, 2009.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 11.014, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 471), Sec. 11, eff. May 18, 2013.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1127 (S.B. 27), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.