Bill to expand public meeting requirements introduced

Sen. Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, introduced legislation Monday that she said will protect the public's right to participate in governmental meetings.

SB229 would prohibit a public body from voting on any agenda item until public comment has been heard on that item. That would stop the practice used by some local governments of holding all public comment until the end of a meeting -- after all items have been voted on. Many of them did so because of a small group of activists that insisted on commenting at length on every issue before a board or commission.

Groups who appear before those boards, however, say that practice denies them any say on issues until it's too late.

"It's too bad we can't find a balance," said O'Connell. "This is to try and make governments more user friendly to the public."

SB229, which was referred to O'Connell's Government Affairs Committee, would expand public-meeting notice and public-records requirements to include the Internet. Meeting notices and agendas would be required to be posted online three days before the meeting.

In addition, public bodies would be required to post minutes on the Internet and to make and retain an audio recording of public meetings.