JD Key Consulting Logo
Signed Into Law
Signed May 30, 2025Effective 2025-09-01
SB2145

Regular Session

Relating to the authority of the advisory body of a public improvement district and the board of directors of a reinvestment zone to hold a meeting by a telecommunication device.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

SB2145: Government Affairs Overview

SB2145 statutorily authorizes remote governance for Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) and Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs) effective September 1, 2025, permitting meetings via teleconference or videoconference. However, it creates a compliance trap by establishing different physical presence standards for PIDs versus TIRZs and mandating an immediate "kill switch" on proceedings if audio connectivity fails.

Sen. Charles Perry·Senate Bill·Regular Session

Low
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01

Need Help Navigating This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting provides strategic guidance on Texas regulatory compliance and legislative impact for your business.

SB2145
Low
Relating to the authority of the advisory body of a public improvement district and the board of directors of a reinvestment zone to hold a meeting by...
Low Compliance Urgency
Requires routine attention
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-09-01
Primary Author: Sen. Charles Perry
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: September 1, 2025
  • Compliance Deadline: September 1, 2025 (for any meeting utilizing remote participation).
  • Agency Rulemaking: None. The statute is self-executing. Interpretation will fall to the Texas Attorney General and civil courts regarding Open Meetings Act challenges.

Immediate Action Plan

  • Audit Bylaws: Immediately review governance documents to remove prohibitions on remote participation.
  • Segregate Procedures: Create distinct meeting checklists for PIDs and TIRZs to ensure the correct "Physical Anchor" requirement is met (Any Member vs. Chair/Vice Chair).
  • Draft "Kill Switch" Scripts: Provide presiding officers with a script to read immediately upon audio failure to formally recess the meeting.
  • Verify AV: Test physical meeting room audio prior to September 1 to ensure remote participants are audible to the public.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Bylaws: Review PID and TIRZ bylaws immediately. If current bylaws explicitly require physical presence for a quorum or prohibit remote voting, they must be amended to align with SB2145.
  • Vendor SLAs: Update agreements with AV/IT providers. Contracts must include strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) regarding uptime, as a technical failure now mandates a legal stoppage of business.

Hiring/Training

  • Presiding Officer Training: Train Board Chairs and Vice Chairs on the "Kill Switch" protocol: they must immediately recess the meeting if audio connectivity is lost. Continuing to deliberate during a glitch renders votes voidable.
  • Staffing: Designate a specific staff member at the physical "anchor" location to monitor audio quality and ensure the public can hear remote participants.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Meeting Notices: For TIRZs, the posted notice must explicitly identify the physical location where the Chair or Vice Chair will be present. Failure to list this specific location invalidates the notice.
  • Minutes: Update minute templates to record the method of attendance (physical vs. remote) for each member to prove quorum validity. Record the start and end times of any technical recesses.

Fees & Costs

  • AV Hardware: Budget for potential hardware upgrades (professional conference phones or speakers) at the physical location. Standard laptop speakers are insufficient to meet the statutory requirement that the public must be able to hear remote participants clearly.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • Definition of "Disrupted": The statute mandates stopping the meeting if communication is "disrupted," but does not define the threshold (e.g., total outage vs. poor audio quality/static). Guidance: Adopt a zero-tolerance policy. If the remote member cannot be understood or cannot hear the physical room, treat it as a disruption and pause the meeting.
  • The PID/TIRZ Divergence: The legislature created conflicting standards: PIDs require *any* member to be physically present, while TIRZs require the *Chair or Vice Chair* to be physically present. Administrators managing both entity types face a high risk of procedural error by applying the wrong standard to the wrong meeting.

Need Compliance Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting specializes in Texas regulatory compliance strategy. Work directly with James Dickey—former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas—to understand this bill's impact on your operations and develop an actionable compliance plan.

Schedule a Consultation

Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Mar 10, 2025
Passed Senate
Apr 24, 2025
Passed House
May 20, 2025
Signed
May 30, 2025
Effective
Sep 1, 2025
TopicsOpen MeetingsSpecial Districts & AuthoritiesSpecial Districts & Authorities--miscellaneousReinvestment ZonesTeleconferencingVideoconferencing
03

Senate Authors

Sen. Charles PerryRepublican · Primary Author

House Sponsor

Rep. Carl TepperRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

Explore more bills from this author and on related topics

More from Sen. Charles Perry

View all bills by Sen. Charles Perry

Related by Topic

View more Open Meetings legislation
Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SB2145

Q

What does Texas SB2145 do?

SB2145 statutorily authorizes remote governance for Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) and Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones (TIRZs) effective September 1, 2025, permitting meetings via teleconference or videoconference. However, it creates a compliance trap by establishing different physical presence standards for PIDs versus TIRZs and mandating an immediate "kill switch" on proceedings if audio connectivity fails.

Q

Who authored SB2145?

SB2145 was authored by Texas Senator Charles Perry during the Regular Session.

Q

When was SB2145 signed into law?

SB2145 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 30, 2025.

Q

How significant are the changes in SB2145?

The regulatory priority for SB2145 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of SB2145?

The cost impact of SB2145 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does SB2145 address?

SB2145 addresses topics including open meetings, special districts & authorities, special districts & authorities--miscellaneous, reinvestment zones and teleconferencing.

Q

What are the key dates for SB2145?

Key dates for SB2145: Effective date is 2025-09-01. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 11, 2026