By: Metcalf H.B. No. 4294       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the organization and efficient operation of the   legislative branch of state government through joint entities.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 301, Government Code, is amended by   adding Section 301.034 to read as follows:          Sec. 301.034.  JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEE PER DIEM AND TRAVEL   EXPENSES. Unless a statute expressly provides otherwise, per diem   and travel expenses paid to a member of a joint committee   established by statute shall be paid by the house to which the   member belongs. The per diem and travel expenses paid to a public   member of the committee shall be paid by the office of the   appointing entity.          SECTION 2.  Section 321.002, Government Code, is amended by   adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read as follows:          (f)  As an exception to Chapter 551 and other law, if a   meeting is located in Austin and the joint chairs of the committee   are physically present at the meeting, then any number of the other   members of the committee may attend the meeting by use of telephone   conference call, video conference call, or other similar   telecommunication device. This subsection:                (1)  applies only if a disaster has been declared and is   currently in effect in this state as the result of:                      (A)  a declaration by the president of the United   States under federal law; or                      (B)  a declaration or determination by a public   officer, governing body, or authority under Chapter 418, Government   Code, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, or other law, including   the Texas Constitution;                (2)  applies for purposes of constituting a quorum, for   purposes of voting, and for any other purpose allowing a member of   the committee to otherwise fully participate in any meeting of the   committee; and                (3)  applies without exception with regard to the   subject of the meeting or topics considered by the members.          (g)  A meeting held under Subsection (f) by use of telephone   conference call, video conference call, or other similar   telecommunication device:                (1)  is subject to the notice requirements applicable   to other meetings;                (2)  must specify in the notice of the meeting the   location in Austin of the meeting at which the joint chairs will be   physically present;                (3)  must be open to the public and shall be audible to   the public at the location in Austin specified in the notice of the   meeting as the location of the meeting at which the joint chairs   will be physically present; and                (4)  must provide two-way audio communication between   all members of the committee attending the meeting during the   entire meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with   any member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the   meeting may not continue until the two-way audio communication link   is reestablished.          SECTION 3.  Section 323.003, Government Code, is amended by   adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows:          (a-1)  As an exception to Chapter 551 and other law, if a   meeting is located in Austin and the joint chairs of the council are   physically present at the meeting, then any number of the other   members of the council may attend the meeting by use of telephone   conference call, video conference call, or other similar   telecommunication device. This subsection:                (1)  applies only if a disaster has been declared and is   currently in effect in this state as the result of:                      (A)  a declaration by the president of the United   States under federal law; or                      (B)  a declaration or determination by a public   officer, governing body, or authority under Chapter 418, Government   Code, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, or other law, including   the Texas Constitution;                (2)  applies for purposes of constituting a quorum, for   purposes of voting, and for any other purpose allowing a member of   the council to otherwise fully participate in any meeting of the   council; and                (3)  applies without exception with regard to the   subject of the meeting or topics considered by the members.          (a-2)  A meeting held under Subsection (a-1) by use of   telephone conference call, video conference call, or other similar   telecommunication device:                (1)  is subject to the notice requirements applicable   to other meetings;                (2)  must specify in the notice of the meeting the   location in Austin of the meeting at which the joint chairs will be   physically present;                (3)  must be open to the public and shall be audible to   the public at the location in Austin specified in the notice of the   meeting as the location of the meeting at which the joint chairs   will be physically present; and                (4)  must provide two-way audio communication between   all members of the council attending the meeting during the entire   meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with any   member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the meeting   may not continue until the two-way audio communication link is   reestablished.          SECTION 4.  Section 324.004, Government Code, is amended by   adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows:          (e)  As an exception to Chapter 551 and other law, if a   meeting is located in Austin and the joint chairs of the board are   physically present at the meeting, then any number of the other   members of the board may attend the meeting by use of telephone   conference call, video conference call, or other similar   telecommunication device. This subsection:                (1)  applies only if a disaster has been declared and is   currently in effect in this state as the result of:                      (A)  a declaration by the president of the United   States under federal law; or                      (B)  a declaration or determination by a public   officer, governing body, or authority under Chapter 418, Government   Code, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, or other law, including   the Texas Constitution;                (2)  applies for purposes of constituting a quorum, for   purposes of voting, and for any other purpose allowing a member of   the board to otherwise fully participate in any meeting of the   board; and                (3)  applies without exception with regard to the   subject of the meeting or topics considered by the members.          (f)  A meeting held under Subsection (e) by use of telephone   conference call, video conference call, or other similar   telecommunication device:                (1)  is subject to the notice requirements applicable   to other meetings;                (2)  must specify in the notice of the meeting the   location in Austin of the meeting at which the joint chairs will be   physically present;                (3)  must be open to the public and shall be audible to   the public at the location in Austin specified in the notice of the   meeting as the location of the meeting at which the joint chairs   will be physically present; and                (4)  must provide two-way audio communication between   all members of the board attending the meeting during the entire   meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with any   member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the meeting   may not continue until the two-way audio communication link is   reestablished.          SECTION 5.  Section 325.003, Government Code, is amended by   adding Subsections (l) and (m) to read as follows:          (l)  As an exception to Chapter 551 and other law, if a   meeting is located in Austin and the chairman and vice-chairman of   the commission are physically present at the meeting, then any   number of the other members of the commission may attend the meeting   by use of telephone conference call, video conference call, or   other similar telecommunication device. This subsection:                (1)  applies only if a disaster has been declared and is   currently in effect in this state as the result of:                      (A)  a declaration by the president of the United   States under federal law; or                      (B)  a declaration or determination by a public   officer, governing body, or authority under Chapter 418, Government   Code, Chapter 81, Health and Safety Code, or other law, including   the Texas Constitution;                (2)  applies for purposes of constituting a quorum, for   purposes of voting, and for any other purpose allowing a member of   the commission to otherwise fully participate in any meeting of the   commission; and                (3)  applies without exception with regard to the   subject of the meeting or topics considered by the members.          (m)  A meeting held under Subsection (l) by use of telephone   conference call, video conference call, or other similar   telecommunication device:                (1)  is subject to the notice requirements applicable   to other meetings;                (2)  must specify in the notice of the meeting the   location in Austin of the meeting at which the chairman and   vice-chairman will be physically present;                (3)  must be open to the public and shall be audible to   the public at the location in Austin specified in the notice of the   meeting as the location of the meeting at which the chairman and   vice-chairman will be physically present; and                (4)  must provide two-way audio communication between   all members of the commission attending the meeting during the   entire meeting, and if the two-way audio communication link with   any member attending the meeting is disrupted at any time, the   meeting may not continue until the two-way audio communication link   is reestablished.          SECTION 6.  Section 326.001, Government Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 326.001.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter, "legislative   agency" means:                (1)  the senate;                (2)  the house of representatives;                (3)  a committee, division, department, or office of   the senate or house;                (4)  the Texas Legislative Council;                (5)  the Legislative Budget Board;                (6)  the Legislative Reference Library;                (7)  the office of the State Auditor; or                (8)  any other agency in the legislative branch of   state government other than the Texas Ethics Commission.          SECTION 7  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a   vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2021.