The bill, H.B. No. 638, mandates that certain water districts, along with other specified governmental bodies, must make audio and video recordings of their open meetings available on the Internet. The bill amends Section 551.128(b-1) of the Government Code to include water districts governed by Chapters 36, 49, or 60 of the Water Code, alongside transit authorities, elected school district boards with significant student enrollment, home-rule municipalities with large populations, and county commissioners courts. These entities are required to record and archive meetings that are regularly scheduled, as well as work sessions or special meetings where votes or public comments occur.

The bill specifies that the new requirements will only apply to open meetings held on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. Meetings conducted prior to this date will continue to be governed by the existing laws. This legislation aims to enhance transparency and accessibility of governmental proceedings to the public by ensuring that recordings of meetings are readily available online.

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