Untitled Texas Attorney General Opinion ( 1984 )

The Attorney General of Texas JIM MAnOX Dewmber 13, 1984 Attorney Cienerrl suprem cowl 8ulldlng Mr. Clayton T. Carrinon Opiulon No. .11i-2&8 p. 0.60x 12548 Executive Director AUSllh T-x. IQll- 2na Rmployece Rttircmewt System Re: Whether members of a public 512147,2501 of Texar body ary meet to receive inform- trl.1 9lw57l1x7 Tslecopisr 5W475-0255 P. 0. Box 13207 tton end lsk questions vithout Austin, Texas. 79711 violating the Open Reetlags Act, lrticlt 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 of a 4824 Albwts An.. Suile 160 governing body msy meet without complying with the Opeu Meetlugs Act El Paso.lx. 7vw52793 to receive lnforsatlon and to ask question& You indiutt that the 915f%..33yor board of trustees of the Dmployttr Retirement System find6 it c-1; necessary occ~8ic~nally to meet vltb particular lndividwls to be LOI Trxrr.Suiie700 informed about spw:lfLc Patters over which the board her jurisdiction. wous1on.TX. 77002.3111 On these occasiour~, the boerd mtmbtrs usually ask questions of the 7lY2235555 individual provitll.np ioformetlon. Tou ask whether the board asi conduct such meetings vithout opening them to the general public. ace 9irordrsy. SUIIS312 LubBcch.lx. 79ull.3479 -nee t ing” Is defined in section l(a) of article 6252-17. boM47.5235 V.T.C.S.) the Open Meetiligs Act. eo eny deliberetion between l quorum of member8 of a 43W N. lenlk Sulls 8 YcAnM, lx 75%1.1595 governsental body at which any public buslntsr or 512se2454 public policy over uhfeh the Rovernmentel body his aupervjsioo or control io discursed or considered. or at which my formal action is tsken. 200 Main Plaza. Sultc 400 San Anlmlo. TX. 75205.2797 512J2254191 In The Pea Picker, Inc. v. Reagan. 632 S.U.2d 674 (Tu. App. - Tyler 1982. wit rcf’d u.r.e.1. the court considered whether l meeting held by the Rcnderacn Couury Comolssloncra Court for the purpose of “hewing reporta from agents end cmployecr” ua6 l “meeting” ulthfn the tenss of article 6252-17. V.T.C.S. The trial court, la granting the county’s motfon for nuxuary judgment. found that the meeting in qucetioa var Ilot . “mce t ing” under the statute because no “dcliberntion” had occurred. “Deliberation” 18 defined In section l(b) of the act pi; p. 1110 l verbal exchengt bttvew t quorum of aambbrs of l g o ver nmenr ~l body ttrempting fo arrive at t 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” for purpotte of article 6252-17 occurs only vhert there it “dtllberttioo.” Lt., *a verbal txchaoge betvttn t quorum of umbtr8.” We tgrto with rhe rdal coum’s coosrructtoa of lrrlcle 6252-17 in Tbe Pu Plcknr, Inc. v. Reagan, w IO our opinloo, l weting It a “outlog” at dtfloed by ttc:::too l(a) of that statum ooly in thou luscanctt in vhfch a “verbtl exchange” occurs between or among a quonm of rabtrt of a govtruneotal body. If the board members merely Sirceo to lod ask questions of am. individual providing lnfomtloa. and no dircusalon talcs phct between board msmbern, there it no “dellbtrrcion” end beoct oo “mtttlng” for purponen of artlclo 62.52-17. In such fnotaoceo. ehe board may cowtoe without ldr ittlng the general public. We conclude that members of l governante body mey noC vlthout coaplylng vlth tbt Open Mcwtlngr Act to receive loformation and to ask qutsriona. lo long as no dlocussioo of public butloets takes place betutto umber& Set ACtormy General Opinion g-785 (1976). But cf. art. 6252-17. ee=caoe 3 end 4. We cation, however, that chelipttvetn “dellbtraticnw and “non-deliberatloQ it very tltin. Therefore. ln order to avcld violating tht wt. whether by inadvertence or oLhtzwlst, a govtrnneotel body should err on the side of 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 of l govtrwsotal body uy meet to receive inforastlon god to ttk questions, without violeriag trtlclt 6252-17, V.T.C.S., M long as no discussion of gubllc business take. place between hers during such mttHc.g. A .1’ very truly &I your I-- J I I4 MATTOX Attorney , General of Texar TOI4GREEN First Aseistsot Attorney General p. 1111 nt. Clayton T. Cnrrison - Pqc 3 (J?I-248) DAVIDR. RICHARDS Exacutivc Amlstmt Attotmy General RlCK CILPIN Chairman, Opinion Comlttu Prepared by Rick Gilpin hristaat Attorney General. APPROVED: OPINIONCO!WlTEE Rick Gilpin, Chairman Colin Carl Suua Carriaon Tony cu1110ry JL Moellinger Jennifer Rig(la Nancy Sutton