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.

(b) A meeting may be held by videoconference call only if a quorum of the governmental body is physically present at one location of the meeting, except as provided by Subsection (c).

(c) A meeting of a state governmental body or a governmental body that extends into three or more counties may be held by videoconference call only if a majority of the quorum of the governmental body is physically present at one location of the meeting.

(d) A meeting held by videoconference call is subject to the notice requirements applicable to other meetings in addition to the notice requirements prescribed by this section.

(e) The notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference call must specify as a location of the meeting the location where a quorum of the governmental body will be physically present and specify the intent to have a quorum present at that location, except that the notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference call under Subsection (c) must specify as a location of the meeting each location where a majority of the quorum of the governmental body will be physically present and specify the intent to have a majority of the quorum of the governmental body present at that location. In addition, the notice of the meeting must specify as a location of the meeting each other location where a member of the governmental body who will participate in the meeting will be physically present during the meeting. Each of the locations shall be open to the public during the open portions of the meeting.

(f) Each portion of a meeting held by videoconference call that is required to be open to the public shall be visible and audible to the public at each location specified under Subsection (e).

(g) The governmental body shall make at least an audio recording of the meeting. The recording shall be made available to the public.

(h) Each location specified under Subsection (e) shall have two-way communication with each other location during the entire meeting. Each participant in the videoconference call, while speaking, shall be clearly visible and audible to each other participant and, during the open portion of the meeting, to the members of the public in attendance at a location of the meeting.

(i) The Department of Information Resources by rule shall specify minimum standards for audio and video signals at a meeting held by videoconference call. The quality of the audio and video signals perceptible at each location of the meeting must meet or exceed those standards.

(j) The quality of the audio and video signals perceptible by members of the public at each location of the meeting must:

(1) meet or exceed the quality of the audio and video signals perceptible by the members of the governmental body participating in the meeting; and

(2) be of sufficient quality so that members of the public at each location of the meeting can observe the demeanor and hear the voice of each participant in the open portion of the meeting.

(k) Without regard to whether a member of the governmental body is participating in a meeting from a remote location by videoconference call, a governmental body may allow a member of the public to testify at a meeting from a remote location by videoconference call.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1038, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Renumbered from Sec. 551.126 by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 19.01(50), eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 630, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.