S.11 amends the state code to require that public bodies must post an agenda at their meeting place at least twenty four hours prior to meeting. A new provision would also prohibit a public body from adding any item upon which a vote may be taken to an agenda less than twenty four before a meeting unless two thirds of the body’s members vote to make the addition. Items that don’t require a vote could still be added to an agenda within 24 hours of a meeting as “expressly provided under the rules or procedures for meetings lawfully adopted by the public body”. This bill comes in response to a State Supreme Court ruling which stated that public bodies don’t need to post any agenda. In order for citizens to be able to be heard on public policy issues it is critical that they know when and where these issues are being discussed.
(Related H.3192)