Texas § GV.551.143 - PROHIBITED SERIES OF COMMUNICATIONS

§ GV.551.143. PROHIBITED SERIES OF COMMUNICATIONS

PROHIBITED SERIES OF COMMUNICATIONS; OFFENSE; PENALTY. (a) A member of a governmental body commits an offense if the member: (1) knowingly engages in at least one communication among a series of communications that each occur outside of a meeting authorized by this chapter and that concern an issue within the jurisdiction of the governmental body in which the members engaging in the individual communications constitute fewer than a quorum of members but the members engaging in the series of communications constitute a quorum of members; and (2) knew at the time the member engaged in the communication that the series of communications: (A) involved or would involve a quorum; and (B) would constitute a deliberation once a quorum of members engaged in the series of communications. (b) An offense under Subsection (a) is a misdemeanor punishable by: (1) a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500; (2) confinement in the county jail for not less than one month or more than six months; or (3) both the fine and confinement. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by: Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 645 (S.B. 1640 ), Sec. 2, eff. June 10, 2019. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 645 (S.B. 1640 ), Sec. 3, eff. June 10, 2019.