Constitutional Law

Texas bill would bar officials from texting during meetings

By By The Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas ? A Texas lawmaker wants to ban e-mails, text messages and Internet postings by city and state leaders when they are doing the public?s business.

A bill by Rep. Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi would amend the Texas Open Meetings Act. The proposal, H.B. 2977, says an official would be committing an offense if he or she transmits an electronic message during a public meeting.

The Austin American-Statesman reports, for today?s editions, that Hunter is considering how violators should be punished. Hunter also says the update is necessary for Texas to take the open-meetings law into the digital age.

The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports Hunter became involved in the issue after a spat during a city council meeting involving two members texting each other.

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on March 23, 2011 (boomark / email).