Texas Government Code Title 5, Chapter 551 - Open Meetings

SUBCHAPTER A GENERAL PROVISIONS

• Texas Section 551.001 - Definitions
  In this chapter: (1) "Closed meeting" means a meeting to which the public does not have access. (2) "Deliberation" means a verbal exchange during a...
• Texas Section 551.0015 - Certain Property Owners' Associations Subject To Law
  (a) A property owners' association is subject to this chapter in the same manner as a governmental body: (1) if: (A) membership in the property...
• Texas Section 551.002 - Open Meetings Requirement
  Every regular, special, or called meeting of a governmental body shall be open to the public, except as provided by this chapter. Added by Acts...
• Texas Section 551.003 - Legislature
  In this chapter, the legislature is exercising its powers to adopt rules to prohibit secret meetings of the legislature, committees of the legislature, and other...
• Texas Section 551.0035 - Attendance By Governmental Body At Legislative Committee Or Agency Meeting
  (a) This section applies only to the attendance by a quorum of a governmental body at a meeting of a committee or agency of the...
• Texas Section 551.004 - Open Meetings Required By Charter
  This chapter does not authorize a governmental body to close a meeting that a charter of the governmental body: (1) prohibits from being closed; or...
• Texas Section 551.005 - Open Meetings Training
  (a) Each elected or appointed public official who is a member of a governmental body subject to this chapter shall complete a course of training...

SUBCHAPTER B RECORD OF OPEN MEETING

• Texas Section 551.006 - Written Electronic Communications Accessible To Public
  (a) A communication or exchange of information between members of a governmental body about public business or public policy over which the governmental body has...
• Texas Section 551.021 - Minutes Or Recording Of Open Meeting Required
  (a) A governmental body shall prepare and keep minutes or make a recording of each open meeting of the body. (b) The minutes must: (1)...
• Texas Section 551.022 - Minutes And Recordings Of Open Meeting: Public Record
  The minutes and recordings of an open meeting are public records and shall be available for public inspection and copying on request to the governmental...

SUBCHAPTER C NOTICE OF MEETINGS

• Texas Section 551.023 - Recording Of Meeting By Person In Attendance
  (a) A person in attendance may record all or any part of an open meeting of a governmental body by means of a recorder, video...
• Texas Section 551.041 - Notice Of Meeting Required
  A governmental body shall give written notice of the date, hour, place, and subject of each meeting held by the governmental body. Added by Acts...
• Texas Section 551.0411 - Meeting Notice Requirements In Certain Circumstances
  (a) Section 551.041 does not require a governmental body that recesses an open meeting to the following regular business day to post notice of the...
• Texas Section 551.0415 - Governing Body Of Municipality Or County: Reports About Items Of Community Interest Regarding Which No Action Will Be Taken
  (a) Notwithstanding Sections 551.041 and 551.042, a quorum of the governing body of a municipality or county may receive from staff of the political subdivision...
• Texas Section 551.042 - Inquiry Made At Meeting
  (a) If, at a meeting of a governmental body, a member of the public or of the governmental body inquires about a subject for which...
• Texas Section 551.043 - Time And Accessibility Of Notice; General Rule
  (a) The notice of a meeting of a governmental body must be posted in a place readily accessible to the general public at all times...
• Texas Section 551.044 - Exception To General Rule: Governmental Body With Statewide Jurisdiction
  (a) The secretary of state must post notice on the Internet of a meeting of a state board, commission, department, or officer having statewide jurisdiction...
• Texas Section 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...
• Texas Section 551.046 - Exception To General Rule: Committee Of Legislature
  The notice of a legislative committee meeting shall be as provided by the rules of the house of representatives or of the senate. Added by...
• Texas Section 551.047 - Special Notice To News Media Of Emergency Meeting Or Emergency Addition To Agenda
  (a) The presiding officer of a governmental body, or the member of a governmental body who calls an emergency meeting of the governmental body or...
• Texas Section 551.048 - State Governmental Body: Notice To Secretary Of State; Place Of Posting Notice
  (a) A state governmental body shall provide notice of each meeting to the secretary of state. (b) The secretary of state shall post the notice...
• Texas Section 551.049 - County Governmental Body: Place Of Posting Notice
  A county governmental body shall post notice of each meeting on a bulletin board at a place convenient to the public in the county courthouse....
• Texas Section 551.050 - Municipal Governmental Body: Place Of Posting Notice
  (a) In this section, "electronic bulletin board" means an electronic communication system that includes a perpetually illuminated screen on which the governmental body can post...
• Texas Section 551.0501 - Joint Board: Place Of Posting Notice
  (a) In this section, "electronic bulletin board" means an electronic communication system that includes a perpetually illuminated screen on which the governmental body can post...
• Texas Section 551.051 - School District: Place Of Posting Notice
  A school district shall post notice of each meeting on a bulletin board at a place convenient to the public in the central administrative office...
• Texas Section 551.052 - School District: Special Notice To News Media
  (a) A school district shall provide special notice of each meeting to any news media that has: (1) requested special notice; and (2) agreed to...
• Texas Section 551.053 - District Or Political Subdivision Extending Into Four Or More Counties: Notice To Public, Secretary Of State, And County Clerk; Place Of Posting Notice
  (a) The governing body of a water district or other district or political subdivision that extends into four or more counties shall: (1) post notice...
• Texas Section 551.054 - District Or Political Subdivision Extending Into Fewer Than Four Counties: Notice To Public And County Clerks; Place Of Posting Notice
  (a) The governing body of a water district or other district or political subdivision that extends into fewer than four counties shall: (1) post notice...
• Texas Section 551.055 - Institution Of Higher Education
  In addition to providing any other notice required by this subchapter, the governing board of a single institution of higher education: (1) shall post notice...

SUBCHAPTER D EXCEPTIONS TO REQUIREMENT THAT MEETINGS BE OPEN

• Texas Section 551.056 - Additional Posting Requirements For Certain Municipalities, Counties, School Districts, Junior College Districts, Development Corporations, Authorities, And Joint Boards
  (a) This section applies only to a governmental body or economic development corporation that maintains an Internet website or for which an Internet website is...
• Texas Section 551.071 - Consultation With Attorney; Closed Meeting
  A governmental body may not conduct a private consultation with its attorney except: (1) when the governmental body seeks the advice of its attorney about:...
• Texas Section 551.072 - Deliberation Regarding Real Property; Closed Meeting
  A governmental body may conduct a closed meeting to deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property if deliberation in an open meeting...
• Texas Section 551.0725 - Commissioners Courts: Deliberation Regarding Contract Being Negotiated; Closed Meeting
  (a) The commissioners court of a county may conduct a closed meeting to deliberate business and financial issues relating to a contract being negotiated if,...
• Texas Section 551.0726 - Texas Facilities Commission: Deliberation Regarding Contract Being Negotiated; Closed Meeting
  (a) The Texas Facilities Commission may conduct a closed meeting to deliberate business and financial issues relating to a contract being negotiated if, before conducting...
• Texas Section 551.073 - Deliberation Regarding Prospective Gift; Closed Meeting
  A governmental body may conduct a closed meeting to deliberate a negotiated contract for a prospective gift or donation to the state or the governmental...
• Texas Section 551.074 - Personnel Matters; Closed Meeting
  (a) This chapter does not require a governmental body to conduct an open meeting: (1) to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or...
• Texas Section 551.0745 - Personnel Matters Affecting County Advisory Body; Closed Meeting
  (a) This chapter does not require the commissioners court of a county to conduct an open meeting: (1) to deliberate the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment,...
• Texas Section 551.075 - Conference Relating To Investments And Potential Investments Attended By Board Of Trustees Of Texas Growth Fund; Closed Meeting
  (a) This chapter does not require the board of trustees of the Texas growth fund to confer with one or more employees of the Texas...
• Texas Section 551.076 - Deliberation Regarding Security Devices Or Security Audits; Closed Meeting
  This chapter does not require a governmental body to conduct an open meeting to deliberate: (1) the deployment, or specific occasions for implementation, of security...
• Texas Section 551.077 - Agency Financed By Federal Government
  This chapter does not require an agency financed entirely by federal money to conduct an open meeting. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268,...
• Texas Section 551.078 - Medical Board Or Medical Committee
  This chapter does not require a medical board or medical committee to conduct an open meeting to deliberate the medical or psychiatric records of an...
• Texas Section 551.0785 - Deliberations Involving Medical Or Psychiatric Records Of Individuals
  This chapter does not require a benefits appeals committee for a public self-funded health plan or a governmental body that administers a public insurance, health,...
• Texas Section 551.079 - Texas Department Of Insurance
  (a) The requirements of this chapter do not apply to a meeting of the commissioner of insurance or the commissioner's designee with the board of...
• Texas Section 551.080 - Board Of Pardons And Paroles
  This chapter does not require the Board of Pardons and Paroles to conduct an open meeting to interview or counsel an inmate of the Texas...
• Texas Section 551.081 - Credit Union Commission
  This chapter does not require the Credit Union Commission to conduct an open meeting to deliberate a matter made confidential by law. Added by Acts...
• Texas Section 551.0811 - The Finance Commission Of Texas
  This chapter does not require The Finance Commission of Texas to conduct an open meeting to deliberate a matter made confidential by law. Added by...
• Texas Section 551.082 - School Children; School District Employees; Disciplinary Matter Or Complaint
  (a) This chapter does not require a school board to conduct an open meeting to deliberate in a case: (1) involving discipline of a public...
• Texas Section 551.0821 - School Board: Personally Identifiable Information About Public School Student
  (a) This chapter does not require a school board to conduct an open meeting to deliberate a matter regarding a public school student if personally...
• Texas Section 551.083 - Certain School Boards; Closed Meeting Regarding Consultation With Representative Of Employee Group
  This chapter does not require a school board operating under a consultation agreement authorized by Section 13.901, Education Code, to conduct an open meeting to...
• Texas Section 551.084 - Investigation; Exclusion Of Witness From Hearing
  A governmental body that is investigating a matter may exclude a witness from a hearing during the examination of another witness in the investigation. Added...
• Texas Section 551.085 - Governing Board Of Certain Providers Of Health Care Services
  (a) This chapter does not require the governing board of a municipal hospital, municipal hospital authority, county hospital, county hospital authority, hospital district created under...
• Texas Section 551.086 - Certain Public Power Utilities: Competitive Matters
  (a) Notwithstanding anything in this chapter to the contrary, the rules provided by this section apply to competitive matters of a public power utility. (b)...
• Texas Section 551.087 - Deliberation Regarding Economic Development Negotiations; Closed Meeting
  This chapter does not require a governmental body to conduct an open meeting: (1) to discuss or deliberate regarding commercial or financial information that the...
• Texas Section 551.088 - Deliberation Regarding Test Item
  This chapter does not require a governmental body to conduct an open meeting to deliberate a test item or information related to a test item...
• Texas Section 551.089 - Department Of Information Resources
  This chapter does not require the governing board of the Department of Information Resources to conduct an open meeting to deliberate: (1) security assessments or...

SUBCHAPTER E PROCEDURES RELATING TO CLOSED MEETING

• Texas Section 551.090 - Enforcement Committee Appointed By Texas State Board Of Public Accountancy
  This chapter does not require an enforcement committee appointed by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy to conduct an open meeting to investigate and...
• Texas Section 551.101 - Requirement To First Convene In Open Meeting
  If a closed meeting is allowed under this chapter, a governmental body may not conduct the closed meeting unless a quorum of the governmental body...
• Texas Section 551.102 - Requirement To Vote Or Take Final Action In Open Meeting
  A final action, decision, or vote on a matter deliberated in a closed meeting under this chapter may only be made in an open meeting...
• Texas Section 551.103 - Certified Agenda Or Recording Required
  (a) A governmental body shall either keep a certified agenda or make a recording of the proceedings of each closed meeting, except for a private...

SUBCHAPTER F MEETINGS USING TELEPHONE, VIDEOCONFERENCE, OR INTERNET

• Texas Section 551.104 - Certified Agenda Or Recording; Preservation; Disclosure
  (a) A governmental body shall preserve the certified agenda or recording of a closed meeting for at least two years after the date of the...
• Texas 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
  (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...
• Texas Section 551.122 - Governing Board Of Junior College District: Quorum Present At One Location
  (a) This chapter does not prohibit the governing board of a junior college district from holding an open or closed meeting by telephone conference call....
• Texas Section 551.123 - Texas Board Of Criminal Justice
  (a) The Texas Board of Criminal Justice may hold an open or closed emergency meeting by telephone conference call. (b) The portion of the telephone...
• Texas Section 551.124 - Board Of Pardons And Paroles
  At the call of the presiding officer of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the board may hold a hearing on clemency matters by telephone...
• Texas Section 551.125 - Other Governmental Body
  (a) Except as otherwise provided by this subchapter, this chapter does not prohibit a governmental body from holding an open or closed meeting by telephone...
• Texas Section 551.126 - Higher Education Coordinating Board
  (a) In this section, "board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. (b) The board may hold an open meeting by telephone conference call or...
• Texas Section 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...
• Texas Section 551.128 - Internet Broadcast Of Open Meeting
  (a) In this section, "Internet" means the largest nonproprietary cooperative public computer network, popularly known as the Internet. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1)...
• Texas Section 551.1281 - Governing Board Of General Academic Teaching Institution Or University System: Internet Posting Of Meeting Materials And Broadcast Of Open Meeting
  (a) In this section, "general academic teaching institution" and "university system" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. (b) The governing board of...
• Texas Section 551.1282 - Governing Board Of Junior College District: Internet Posting Of Meeting Materials And Broadcast Of Open Meeting
  (a) This section applies only to the governing board of a junior college district with a total student enrollment of more than 20,000 in any...
• Texas Section 551.129 - Consultations Between Governmental Body And Its Attorney
  (a) A governmental body may use a telephone conference call, video conference call, or communications over the Internet to conduct a public consultation with its...
• Texas Section 551.130 - Board Of Trustees Of Teacher Retirement System Of Texas: Quorum Present At One Location
  (a) In this section, "board" means the board of trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. (b) This chapter does not prohibit the board...

SUBCHAPTER G ENFORCEMENT AND REMEDIES; CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS

• Texas Section 551.131 - Water Districts
  (a) In this section, "water district" means a river authority, groundwater conservation district, water control and improvement district, or other district created under Section 52,...
• Texas Section 551.141 - Action Voidable
  An action taken by a governmental body in violation of this chapter is voidable. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff....
• Texas Section 551.142 - Mandamus; Injunction
  (a) An interested person, including a member of the news media, may bring an action by mandamus or injunction to stop, prevent, or reverse a...
• Texas Section 551.143 - Conspiracy To Circumvent Chapter; Offense; Penalty
  (a) A member or group of members of a governmental body commits an offense if the member or group of members knowingly conspires to circumvent...
• Texas Section 551.144 - Closed Meeting; Offense; Penalty
  (a) A member of a governmental body commits an offense if a closed meeting is not permitted under this chapter and the member knowingly: (1)...
• Texas Section 551.145 - Closed Meeting Without Certified Agenda Or Recording; Offense; Penalty
  (a) A member of a governmental body commits an offense if the member participates in a closed meeting of the governmental body knowing that a...
• Texas Section 551.146 - Disclosure Of Certified Agenda Or Recording Of Closed Meeting; Offense; Penalty; Civil Liability
  (a) An individual, corporation, or partnership that without lawful authority knowingly discloses to a member of the public the certified agenda or recording of a...

Last modified: September 28, 2016