04/22/2010 Special Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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• The Texas Open Meetings Act ("TOMA") provides governmental bodies must be open to the public, e authorized executive sessions (which are prohibited by • "Governmental body" means: • A municipal governing body in the state; • A deliberative body that has rulemaking or quasi ju that is classified as a department, agency, or politi( a municipality; or • The governing body of a special district created by • The public must be given 72 hours' notice of the time, matter of ineetings of governmental bodies. • Actions taken by a governmental body in violation of the • The Act provides for a civil action to prevent a violation require compliance with the Act. ngs of ptfor xpresE City C arter). iicial al su and n of ? an subject are oidab/e. the ct, or to • Certain violations of the Act are punishable by criminal nforc ent. A member of the governmental body commits an offense i the m mber or group knowingly conspires to circumvent the Act by meetin in nu ers less than a quorum for the purpose of secret deliberations. Training Required (New) • In 2005, the Texas Legislature amended the TOMA to rE appointed or elected public official who is a member of a go subject to this chapter" complete a course of training of ni hour nor more than two hours regarding the respo governmental body and its members under that law. • The required training must be completed not later than the date the member: (1) Takes the oath of office, if the member is required office to assume the person's duties as a member of the i, or (2) Otherwise assumes responsibilities as a member of t body, if the member is not required to take an oath of offic person's duties as a member of the governmental body. K:\ETHICS\RDC3116A juire t at "each ,ernm tal body t /ess han one isibiliti of the IOth da after the take a oath of ernme tal body; e gov nmental 3 to as ume the PAGE 13 1s