Case Information
*1 The Attorney General of Texas Dewmber 13, 1984 JIM MAnOX
Attorney Cienerrl Mr. Clayton T. Carrinon Opiulon No. .11i-2&8
suprem cowl 8ulldlng p. 0.60x 12548 Executive Director AUSllh T-x. IQll- 2na Rmployece Rttircmewt System Re: Whether members a public 512147,2501 of Texar body ary to inform- trl.1 9lw57l1x7 sk questions P. 0. Box 13207 tton vithout Tslecopisr 5W475-0255 Austin, Texas. the Open Reetlags Act, rticlt 6252-17, V.I.C.S. 714 Jackron. Sultr 100 Dslkr. TX. 752Q245w Dear klr. Garrison: 214l7426944
You have requested our opinion regarding vhether members a governing body msy meet without complying with the Opeu Meetlugs Act 4824 Albwts An.. Suile 160 El Paso. lx. 7vw52793 lnforsatlon and to ask question& You indiutt the 915f%..33yor board of trustees the Dmployttr Retirement System find6 it of necessary occ~8ic~nally to meet vltb particular lndividwls to be c-1; informed about spw:lfLc Patters over which the board her jurisdiction. LOI Trxrr. Suiie 700 On these occasiour~, the boerd mtmbtrs usually ask questions of the wous1on. TX. 77002.3111 individual provitll.np ioformetlon. Tou ask whether the board asi 7lY2235555 them to the general public. conduct such meetings vithout opening ace 9irordrsy. SUIIS 312 -nee t ing” Is defined in section l(a) of article 6252-17. LubBcch. lx. 79ull.3479 V.T.C.S.) the Open Meetiligs Act. eo boM47.5235 eny deliberetion between quorum of member8 of a 43W N. lenlk Sulls 8 governsental body at which any public buslntsr or YcAnM, lx 75%1.1595 public policy over uhfeh the Rovernmentel body his 512se2454 aupervjsioo control io discursed or considered. formal action is tsken. or at which my
200 Main Plaza. Sultc 400 San Anlmlo. TX. 75205.2797 Inc. v. Reagan. 632 S.U.2d 674 (Tu. App. - Tyler In The Pea Picker, 512J2254191 1982. wit rcf’d u.r.e.1. the court considered whether meeting held by the Rcnderacn Couury Comolssloncra Court the purpose from agents end cmployecr” ua6 “meeting” ulthfn the “hewing reporta tenss 6252-17. V.T.C.S. trial court, la granting The the county’s motfon nuxuary judgment. found meeting qucetioa var Ilot . “mce t ing” under the statute because no 18 defined In section “dcliberntion” had occurred. “Deliberation” l(b) the act pi;
p. 1110
l verbal exchengt bttvew t quorum of aambbrs of l arrive at t governmenr~l body ttrempting fo dtcirioa on my public bwlaets.
The tppellatt court concluded that sumary judgmeaf vex Improper because l feet Issue existed as (,a~ whether dtllber~tion had fo fact occurred during he ntetlog in queritlw. The appellate court did not, however. question chr trial court’s conclusion rbac a “mtetlng” purpotte of 6252-17 occurs only vhert there it “dtllberttioo.” *a verbal txchaoge betvttn t quorum of umbtr8.” Lt., of rrlcle
We tgrto with rhe rdal coum’s coosrructtoa 6252-17 in Tbe Pu Plcknr, Inc. v. Reagan, w IO our opinloo, weting It a “outlog” at dtfloed by ttc:::too l(a) statum ooly luscanctt in vhfch a “verbtl exchange” occurs between among a thou quonm of rabtrt of a govtruneotal body. If the board members merely Sirceo to od ask questions of am. individual providing lnfomtloa.
and no dircusalon talcs phct between board msmbern, there it no “dellbtrrcion” beoct oo “mtttlng” purponen of artlclo 62.52-17. ehe board may cowtoe without l drittlng general In such fnotaoceo.
public. We conclude that members of l governante body mey noC vlthout coaplylng vlth tbt Open Mcwtlngr Act loformation and to ask qutsriona. o long as no dlocussioo of public butloets takes place betutto umber& Set ACtormy General Opinion g-785 But cf. art. 6252-17. ee=caoe 3 end 4. We cation, however, (1976). chelipttvetn “dellbtraticnw and “non-deliberatloQ it very Therefore. ln order to avcld tht wt. whether by
tltin. inadvertence or oLhtzwlst, a govtrnneotel body should err on the side uutiot In determining whether to open to the public t convocation like the OIU described here. I S’U M II A R T
--- Tkt here govtrwsotal body uy to inforastlon god to ttk questions, without trtlclt 6252-17, V.T.C.S., M long as no violeriag discussion gubllc business take. place between hers during such mttHc.g.
&I A very truly your .1’
I-- J I I4 MATTOX Attorney General Texar TOI4 GREEN
First Aseistsot Attorney General
p.
nt. Clayton T. Cnrrison - Pqc 3 (J?I-248)
DAVID R. RICHARDS
Exacutivc Amlstmt Attotmy General
RlCK CILPIN
Chairman, Opinion Comlttu
Prepared by Rick Gilpin Attorney General.
hristaat
APPROVED:
OPINION CO!WlTEE
Rick Gilpin, Chairman
Colin Carl
Suua Carriaon
Tony cu1110ry
JL Moellinger
Jennifer Rig(la
Nancy Sutton