Relating to the authority of the governing board of a state governmental body to conduct a closed meeting to deliberate an issue involving certain defense, military, or aerospace issues.

Contracts

• Pre-Contract Negotiation: Existing contracts are unaffected. However, for new incentive agreements or federal grant match contracts, you must explicitly request that negotiations occur in executive session under this new statute.
• Voidability Clauses: Ensure your legal counsel reviews the final incentive agreement to confirm the meeting was properly noticed. If the board relies on this exception improperly, the resulting contract could be voided by a court.

Hiring/Training

• Government Affairs & Lobbyists: Brief your external representatives immediately. They must know to request "Closed Session under SB1706/Gov’t Code Sec. 551.092" when scheduling appearances before state boards.
• Legal Counsel: In-house counsel must monitor meeting agendas to ensure the specific statutory reference is cited *before* the meeting begins.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Document Marking: While the *deliberation* is closed, documents provided to the board may still be subject to the Public Information Act (PIA). You must rigorously mark all handouts, slide decks, and financial models as "CONFIDENTIAL – PROPRIETARY COMMERCIAL INFORMATION" to layer PIA protections on top of the meeting exception.
• Certified Agendas: The state body will record the closed session. In the event of a dispute regarding promises made by the state, this recording is your primary evidence.

Fees & Costs

• No Direct Fees: There are no filing fees associated with this change.
• Cost Savings: Reduces the "competitor intelligence" risk during site selection, potentially saving costs associated with real estate speculation or bid-sniping.