BILL ANALYSIS
| Senate Research Center | S.B. 2145 |
| 89R14469 DRS-D | By: Perry |
| | Business & Commerce |
| | 4/8/2025 |
| | As Filed |
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Texas law allows for the creation of public improvement districts (PIDs), which are defined geographical areas established to provide specific types of improvements or maintenance, which are financed by assessments against the property owners within the area. PIDs provide local governments with a development tool that allocates costs according to the benefits received. Similarly, a tax increment finance district (TIF) is a geographical area established to allow local governments to invest in public infrastructure and other improvements up-front. Local governments can then pay later for those investments. They can do so by capturing the future anticipated increase in tax revenues generated by the project.
S.B. 2145 allows PIDs and TIFs to hold any of their public meetings using a remote telecommunication device. However, at least one member of the district must be physically present at the meeting to ensure that the public can still attend a meeting in person, even if some of the members are participating remotely.
As proposed, S.B. 2145 amends current law 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.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 372, Local Government Code, by adding Section 372.0081, as follows:
Sec. 372.0081. ADVISORY BODY MEETINGS BY TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICE. (a) Authorizes any number of the other members of an advisory body responsible for developing and recommending an improvement plan (advisory body), notwithstanding any other law, if a member of the advisory body appointed under Section 372.008 (Advisory Body) is physically present at a meeting of the advisory body, to attend the meeting by use of telephone conference call, video conference call, or other similar telecommunication device. Provides that a member of the advisory body who attends a meeting via� telecommunication device is considered present for purposes of constituting a quorum, voting, and any other form of participation in the meeting. Provides that this subsection applies regardless of the subject of the meeting or topics considered at the meeting.
(b) Requires an advisory body, if the advisory body holds a meeting using a telecommunication device in the manner provided by Subsection (a), to provide two-way audio communication between board members attending the meeting and, if the two-way audio communication link with a member is disrupted, to stop the meeting until the link is reestablished.
SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 311, Tax Code, by adding Section 311.0093, as follows:
Sec. 311.0093. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS BY TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICE. (a) Authorizes any number of the other members of the board of directors of a reinvestment zone (board), notwithstanding Chapter 511 (Open Meetings), Government Code, or any other law, if the chair or vice chair of the board is physically present at a meeting of the board, to attend the meeting by use of telephone conference call, video conference call, or other similar telecommunication device. Provides that a member of the board who attends a meeting via a telecommunication device is considered present for purposes of constituting a quorum, voting, and any other form of participation in the board meeting. Provides that this subsection applies regardless of the subject of the meeting or topics considered at the meeting.
(b) Provides that if the board holds a meeting using a telecommunication device in the manner provided by Subsection (a), the board is required to fulfill certain requirements.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
