Bill > B26-0199

This bill amends the District of Columbia's Open Meetings Act to clarify several key provisions regarding public meetings. The bill redefines "meeting" to include any gathering of a quorum of public body members where public business is discussed, while explicitly excluding chance social gatherings and press conferences. For the DC Council specifically, a meeting is defined as a regular or additional legislative meeting where votes are taken. The bill allows public bodies to discuss potential terrorist or public health threats in closed sessions if disclosure could endanger the public, and provides more flexibility in meeting accessibility by allowing meetings to be considered open if reasonable steps are taken to allow public viewing or hearing, either during the meeting or as soon as technologically feasible afterward. Additionally, the bill creates a specific exemption for meetings between the DC Council and the Mayor, provided no official action is taken during such meetings. The legislation also modifies notice requirements for public meetings, making them less stringent by changing language from mandatory provision to "attempting" to provide notice. This emergency amendment is designed to provide more clarity and pragmatic approaches to open meeting regulations while maintaining principles of governmental transparency.

https://lims.dccouncil.gov/Legislation/B26-0199