Sec. 551.045. EXCEPTION TO GENERAL RULE: NOTICE OF EMERGENCY MEETING OR EMERGENCY ADDITION TO AGENDA. (a) In an emergency or when there is an urgent public necessity, the notice of a meeting or the supplemental notice of a subject added as an item to the agenda for a meeting for which notice has been posted in accordance with this subchapter is sufficient if it is posted for at least two hours before the meeting is convened.
(b) An emergency or an urgent public necessity exists only if immediate action is required of a governmental body because of:
(1) an imminent threat to public health and safety; or
(2) a reasonably unforeseeable situation.
(c) The governmental body shall clearly identify the emergency or urgent public necessity in the notice or supplemental notice under this section.
(d) A person who is designated or authorized to post notice of a meeting by a governmental body under this subchapter shall post the notice taking at face value the governmental body's stated reason for the emergency or urgent public necessity.
(e) For purposes of Subsection (b)(2), the sudden relocation of a large number of residents from the area of a declared disaster to a governmental body's jurisdiction is considered a reasonably unforeseeable situation for a reasonable period immediately following the relocation. Notice of an emergency meeting or supplemental notice of an emergency item added to the agenda of a meeting to address a situation described by this subsection must be given to members of the news media as provided by Section 551.047 not later than one hour before the meeting.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 258 (S.B. 11), Sec. 3.06, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1325 (S.B. 1499), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.
Section: Previous 551.023 551.041 551.0411 551.0415 551.042 551.043 551.044 551.045 551.046 551.047 551.048 551.049 551.050 551.0501 551.051 NextLast modified: September 28, 2016