1. (a) Policy. The Texas Board of Criminal Justice is committed to provide access and opportunity for public comment on issues within the jurisdiction of the Board, and invites public testimony on items that are part of the board's posted agenda as provided for in subsection (b) of this section. The Board defines its areas of jurisdiction in Board Policy BP-01.01, available at the Board office at the address in subsection (d) of this section, or on the Internet at http://tdcj.state.tx.us/policy/policy-home.htm. Persons outside the agency who wish to have items placed on the board agenda are invited to follow the procedure in subsection (d) of this section. On an annual basis, ordinarily in the July meeting of the Board, an opportunity shall be provided for public presentations on issues that are not part of the Board's posted agenda. Annual public presentations shall be:

   1. (1) subject to the requirements and restrictions of subsections (b), (c), (f) and (g) of this section;
   2. (2) pertinent to issues under the jurisdiction of the board, as determined by the chairman and the general counsel; and
   3. (3) pertinent to TDCJ policies, procedures, standards, and rules, while actual disputes that are properly the subject of the employee grievance system, the employee disciplinary system, the inmate grievance system, the inmate disciplinary system, or pending litigation shall be addressed through those processes.

2. (b) Registration. Persons who desire to make presentations to the Board shall complete registration cards which shall be made available at the entry to the place where the Board's scheduled meeting is to be held. Completed registration cards must be provided to the executive assistant to the chairman at least 10 minutes prior to the posted time for the beginning of the meeting, for registration the day of the meeting. Pre-registration to speak on an item on the Board's agenda, or to make a public presentation, must provide the information listed in this subsection. Pre-registration must be provided to the Board office at P.O. Box 13084, Austin Texas 78711, no earlier than the first day of the even-numbered month preceding the Board meeting for which the registration is intended (June 1 for the annual public presentation opportunity), and no later than seven days prior to the same meeting. The registration cards shall include blanks in which all of the following information must be disclosed:

   1. (1) name of the person making a presentation;
   2. (2) a statement as to whether the person is being reimbursed for the presentation; and if so, the name of the person or entity on whose behalf the presentation is made;
   3. (3) a statement as to whether the presenter has registered as a lobbyist in relationship to the matter in question;
   4. (4) a reference to the agenda item, if applicable, that the person wishes to discuss before the Board;
   5. (5) an indication as to whether the presenter wishes to speak for or against the proposed agenda item, if applicable;
   6. (6) a statement verifying that all factual information to be presented shall be true and correct to the best of the knowledge of the speaker.
3. (c) Presentation timing. The chairman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice shall have discretion in setting reasonable limits on the time to be allocated for each presentation. If several persons wish to address the board on the same agenda item, it shall be within the discretion of the chair to request that persons who wish to address the same side of the issue coordinate their comments, or limit their comments to an expression of support for views previously articulated by persons speaking on the same side of an issue. The chairman shall provide an opportunity for presentation by a person who has submitted a registration card prior to the board's taking action on the item that the person indicates a wish to discuss, if the presentation applies to an item on the agenda.
4. (d) Requests that issues be placed on an agenda. Persons outside the agency who wish to have an agenda item posted shall address their request to the Chairman, Texas Board of Criminal Justice, P.O. Box 13084, Austin, Texas 78711. Such requests should be submitted by the first day of the even-numbered month preceding the board meeting for which the request is intended. The decision whether to calendar a matter for discussion before the full Board, a Board committee, a Board liaison, or with a designated staff member, shall be within the discretion of the chairman.
5. (e) Disability accommodation. Persons with disabilities who have special communication or accommodation needs and who plan to attend a meeting may contact the Board office in Austin. Requests should be made at least two days before a meeting. The department will make every reasonable effort to accommodate these needs.

6. (f) Conduct and decorum. The Board will receive public input as authorized by this section, subject to the following additional guidelines.

   1. (1) Questioning of those making presentations will be reserved to Board members and staff recognized by the chairman.
   2. (2) Presentations shall remain pertinent to the issue being discussed.
   3. (3) A person who is determined by the chairman to be disrupting a meeting must immediately cease the disruptive activity or leave the meeting room if ordered to do so by the chairman.
   4. (4) A person may not assign a portion of his or her time to another speaker.
7. (g) A person may not carry a prohibited weapon, an illegal knife, a club, a handgun, or a licensed concealed handgun at a meeting of the Board.

Source Note:The provisions of this §151.4 adopted to be effective February 15, 1993, 18 TexReg 590; amended to be effective April 8, 1996, 21 TexReg 2476; amended to be effective June 20, 2002, 27 TexReg 5218; amended to be effective December 5, 2002, 27 TexReg 11169.