Despite not making it through the legislative process last in 2021, HB 1329 is back in action and set for a hearing in the Senate.
HB 1329 made it all the way through the House in 2021 but failed to receive a floor vote in the Senate. In January of this year, the bill
passed the House again with a 79-16 vote. As passed, the bill encourages agencies to provide remote access for the public to attend meetings, as well as record meetings and host the recordings on a city’s website for six months.
Additionally, the bill would require cities to provide:
- An opportunity for public comment at or before every regular meeting where final action is taken, except in emergency situations. If a city chooses to allow public comment before a regular meeting, it must accept comments in written form in addition
to providing options for live participation.
- Remote access to regular meetings that include a verbal public comment period to individuals with a disability or limited mobility that wish to provide public comment at the meeting.
As written, AWC is supportive thanks to the sponsor’s efforts to address earlier concerns on HB 1329; however, if you have any specific concerns about these requirements, please let us know.
Additionally, AWC is asking that the bill be amended to include some of the provisions currently in HB 1056 (which didn’t advance)
to address affirmatively allowing fully virtual meetings during emergencies.
HB 1329 received a public hearing in the Senate State Government & Elections Committee last week and now awaits executive action.