(a) The president shall preside at meetings of the Board. In his absence, the vice-president shall preside. In the absence of both the Board president and vice-president, the secretary shall preside.

(b) The Board shall hold a minimum of two regular meetings each year for the purpose of conducting Board business. Other meetings may be held on the call of the President or upon petition to the President of two or more Board members. The Board may hold meetings by telephone conference call or video conference call provided that the requirements of the Government Code, §551.125 and/or §551.127, are met.

(c) An agenda for each board meeting shall be posted in accordance with law and copies shall be sent to the board members.

(d) Board and committee meetings shall be conducted pursuant to the provisions of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised unless the board by rule adopts a different procedure.

(e) Meetings of the board are open to the public unless such meetings are conducted in executive session pursuant to state law.

(f) In order that board meetings may be conducted safely, efficiently, and with decorum, attendees may not engage in disruptive activity that interferes with board proceedings.

(g) Members of the public shall not address or question board members during meetings unless recognized by the board's presiding officer pursuant to a published agenda item.

(h) Journalists have the same right of access to board meetings conducted in open session as other members of the public and are subject to the same requirements.

(i) The board's presiding officer may exclude from a meeting any person who, after being duly warned, persists in disruptive activity that interferes with board proceedings.

(j) Five members of the Board shall constitute a quorum and all members shall have a vote on all matters except where a Board member may be recused from voting for good cause. Decisions must be made by affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting.

(k) Recording of meetings

(1) A person may record all or part of the proceedings of a public Board meeting by means of a tape recorder, video camera, or other means of audio or visual reproduction.

(2) In order to minimize disruption of the normal order of Board business, the executive director or Board president may direct any individual wishing to record or videotape the meeting as to equipment location, placement, and the manner in which the recording is conducted.

(l) Executive Session.

(1) The board may meet in executive session pursuant to law.

(2) An executive session of the board shall not be held unless a quorum of the board has first been convened in open meeting. If during such open meeting, a motion is passed by the board to hold an executive session, the presiding officer shall publicly announce that an executive session will be held.

(3) The presiding officer of the board shall announce the date and time at the beginning and end of the executive session.

(4) A certified agenda of the executive session shall be prepared.

Source Note: The provisions of this §577.2 adopted to be effective January 1, 1976; amended to be effective March 22, 1988, 13 TexReg 1191; amended to be effective November 4, 1994, 19 TexReg 8448; amended to be effective August 20, 1996, 21 TexReg 7533; amended to be effective March 22, 2005, 30 TexReg 1634; amended to be effective July 17, 2006, 31 TexReg 5621; amended to be effective April 28, 2010, 35 TexReg 3283; amended to be effective October 20, 2010, 35 TexReg 9286