The commissioners court must set monthly regular-term meeting days, and certain county officials may call special terms or change meeting sites when the statute’s conditions are met.
Sec. 81.005. TERMS OF COURT, MEETINGS. (a) At the last regular term of each fiscal year of the county, the commissioners court by order shall designate a day of the week on which the court shall convene in a regular term each month during the next fiscal year. If the completion of the court's business does not require a monthly term, the court need not hold more than one term a quarter. A regular term may continue for one week but may be adjourned earlier if the court's business is completed. (b) The county judge or three county commissioners may call a special term of the court. A special term may continue until the court's business is completed. A special term may be held at a meeting place located in the county and outside the county seat if: (1) the commissioners court agrees to meet in that location; and (2) the meeting place is in a building providing public access that can accommodate the number of persons expected to attend the meeting. (c) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (f) of this section, the term shall be held at: (1) the county seat at the courthouse; (2) an auxiliary courthouse, courthouse annex, or another building in the county acquired by the county under Chapter 292, 293, or 305 or another law, that houses county administration offices or county or district courts, located inside the municipal limits of the county seat; (3) the regular meeting place of another political subdivision if: (A) the commissioners court meets with the governing body of that political subdivision located wholly or partly within the county; and (B) the regular meeting place of that political subdivision is in the county; (4) a meeting place in the county in a building owned by another political subdivision located wholly or partly in the county if: (A) the commissioners court meets with the governing body of that political subdivision; (B) the places where the commissioners court and the governing body of the political subdivision regularly hold their meetings are not large enough to accommodate the number of persons expected to attend the meeting; and (C) the meeting place in the building owned by the political subdivision is large enough to accommodate the expected number of persons; or (5) a meeting place in the county in a building owned by the county if: (A) the place where the commissioners court regularly holds its meetings is not large enough to accommodate the number of persons expected to attend the meeting; and (B) the meeting place in the building owned by the county is large enough to accommodate the expected number of persons. (d) At the first regular term of each calendar year, the commissioners court may select, on no less than seven days notice, a new site at which terms are to be held during that year pursuant to Subsection (c)(2). (e) On initial enactment of this legislation the county commissioners court may select a new site pursuant to Subsection (c)(2) on seven days notice and passage at a regular meeting of commissioners court. (f) If the commissioners court determines that in the interest of public safety the term should be held at a site other than the site selected under Subsection (d), the commissioners court may, after notice, hold a term at a different site as determined by the commissioners court. (g) Any business of the commissioners court that is required by law to be conducted at a regular term may also be conducted at any meeting of the court held on a day on which the court routinely and periodically meets, regardless of whether the periodic interval is weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually, or some other interval. (h) The commissioners court may designate a day of the week on which the court shall convene in a regular term each month other than the day of the week designated under Subsection (a). Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 601, Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 16, Sec. 19.01(33), eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 643, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 28, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 391, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 13.13, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 593, Sec. 1, eff. June 11, 2001.