87(R) HB 3627 - House Committee Report version - Bill Text
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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of a governmental body impacted by a |
 
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catastrophe to temporarily suspend the requirements of the public |
 
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information law. |
 
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             BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
 
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             SECTION  1.    Sections 552.233, Government Code, as added by |
 
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Chapter 462 (S.B. 494), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular |
 
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Session, 2019, are amended to read as follows: |
 
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             (a)    In this section: |
 
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                         (1)    "Catastrophe" means a condition or occurrence that |
 
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directly interferes with the ability of a governmental body to |
 
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comply with the requirements of this chapter, including: |
 
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                                     (A)    fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane, tornado, |
 
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or wind, rain, or snow storm; |
 
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                                     (B)    power failure, transportation failure, or |
 
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interruption of communication facilities; |
 
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                                     (C)    epidemic; or |
 
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                                     (D)    riot, civil disturbance, enemy attack, or |
 
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other actual or threatened act of lawlessness or violence. |
 
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                         (2)    "Catastrophe" does not mean a period when staff is |
 
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required to work remotely and can access information responsive to |
 
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an application for information electronically, but the physical |
 
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office of the governmental body is closed. |
 
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                         (3)    "Suspension period" means the period of time |
 
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during which a governmental body may suspend the applicability of |
 
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the requirements of this chapter to the governmental body under |
 
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this section. |
 
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             (b)    The requirements of this chapter do not apply to a |
 
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governmental body during the suspension period determined by the |
 
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governmental body under Subsections (d) and (e) if the governmental |
 
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body: |
 
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                         (1)    is currently significantly impacted by a |
 
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catastrophe such that the catastrophe directly causes the inability |
 
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of a governmental body to comply with the requirements of this |
 
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chapter; and |
 
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                         (2)    complies with the requirements of this section. |
 
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             (d)    A governmental body may suspend the applicability of the |
 
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requirements of this chapter to the governmental body for an |
 
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initial suspension period. The governmental body may suspend the |
 
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applicability of the requirements of this chapter under this |
 
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subsection only once for each catastrophe. The initial suspension |
 
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period may not exceed seven consecutive days and must occur during |
 
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the period that: |
 
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                         (1)    begins not earlier than the second day before the |
 
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date the governmental body submits notice to the office of the |
 
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attorney general under Subsection (c); and |
 
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                         (2)    ends not later than the seventh day after the date |
 
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the governmental body submits that notice. |
 
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             (e)    A governmental body may extend an initial suspension |
 
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period if the governing body determines that the governing body is |
 
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still impacted by the catastrophe on which the initial suspension |
 
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period was based. The initial suspension period may be extended one |
 
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time for not more than seven consecutive days that begin on the day |
 
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following the day the initial suspension period ends. The |
 
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governing body must submit notice of the extension to the office of |
 
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the attorney general on the form prescribed by the office under |
 
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Subsection (j)(l). |
 
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               (f)    A governmental body that initiates a suspension period |
 
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under Subsection (d) may not initiate another suspension period |
 
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related to the same catastrophe, except for a single extension |
 
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period as prescribed in Subsection (e). |
 
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             (g)    The combined suspension period for a governmental body |
 
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filing under Subsections (d) and (e) may not exceed a total of 14 |
 
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consecutive calendar days with respect to any single catastrophe. |
 
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             (f)(h)    A governmental body that suspends the applicability |
 
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of the requirements of this chapter to the governmental body under |
 
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this section must provide notice to the public of the suspension in |
 
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a place readily accessible to the public and in each other location |
 
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the governmental body is required to post a notice under Subchapter |
 
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C, Chapter 551. The governmental body must maintain the notice of |
 
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the suspension during the suspension period. |
 
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             (g)(i)    Notwithstanding another provision of this chapter, a |
 
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request for public information received by a governmental body |
 
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during a suspension period determined by the governmental body is |
 
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considered to have been received by the governmental body on the |
 
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first business day after the date the suspension period ends. |
 
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             (h)(j)    The requirements of this chapter related t
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