Texas lawmakers have introduced legislation to restrict where local governments can hold public meetings following controversy over a Bastrop City Council retreat more than 100 miles away.
State Reps. Stan Gerdes (R–Smithville) and Cody Vasut (R–Angleton) filed separate proposals ahead of the 90th Legislative Session that would require governmental bodies of political subdivisions to conduct meetings within or near the communities they represent.
House Bill 913, filed by Gerdes, would require meetings to be held at a designated location within the political subdivision’s boundaries.
Vasut’s House Bill 694 would allow meetings either within those boundaries or up to 10 miles outside them.
Vasut’s proposal also includes an exception allowing meetings to be relocated during a countywide evacuation order. Gerdes’ legislation contains no comparable exception.
Both measures would require the physical meeting locations associated with telephone or video conference meetings to comply with the geographic restrictions.
The legislation follows an August hearing of the House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight, where lawmakers questioned Bastrop officials over a two-day city council workshop held in Fredericksburg, more than 100 driving miles from Bastrop.
The workshop included discussions of the city’s budget, tax rate, transportation, water infrastructure, data center policy, and Flock surveillance cameras.
During the hearing, Bastrop officials acknowledged that just one resident attended the workshop in person.
Mayor Ishmael Harris defended the retreat, arguing that the city had complied with the Texas Open Meetings Act and that council members were learning from another historic community facing similar growth challenges.
“Our workshop was properly posted. It was open to the public. It was live streamed, and no final action was taken,” Harris told lawmakers. “No votes were cast.”
However, lawmakers questioned whether conducting substantive government business so far from residents undermined public participation.
“Don’t remove the business of the people that far from the people,” State Rep. Shelby Slawson (R–Stephenville) told city officials.
Both bills would take effect September 1, 2027, if approved by lawmakers.
