HB 3490 – Weakens government meeting transparency

HB 3490 creates a new exemption to Texas’ open meetings law by allowing state agency boards to meet privately with their internal auditors when discussing sensitive audit issues. While well intentioned, the bill erodes transparency in government operations by shielding key oversight discussions from public view. Taxpayers have a right to monitor how agencies manage public resources, especially when audits uncover waste or inefficiencies. Limiting public access to these deliberations invites mistrust and weakens accountability. Instead of reforming the process for sensitive information, the bill bypasses the public altogether. The measure favors bureaucratic convenience over open government.